Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Jeff and the other members of his class followed the lighthouse caretaker up . . . up . . . up . . . all the way to the top room to see the powerful light. "This huge light runs on electricity," explained the caretaker, indicating the heavy cables that went into the light. Walking over to a counter, he pointed to an old lamp that was about a fourth the size of the modern one. "This is the lamp that was used before they had electricity," he continued. "It ran on kerosene, and in those days, the caretaker's most important job was to make sure it didn't run out of fuel."

"But that light is so much smaller," observed one of the kids. "I guess it didn't shine very far over the ocean, did it?"

"Actually, it did," the caretaker answered. He picked up two odd-shaped pieces of glass from the counter. "These are prisms. They're cut in a special way to bend the rays of light that hit them and reflect them back-not once, but several times. By using prisms, the beam of light from the kerosene lamp could be magnified up to a thousand times. A sailor far out at sea could see the beam of reflected light."

That night at supper, all Jeff could talk about was his visit to the lighthouse. "Years ago they used a kerosene lamp. It was a much smaller light than the electric one they have now," he told his family, "but when they used prisms to reflect the beam of light, it could be seen by sailors miles and miles out to sea."

"That's interesting," said Mom. "I can see you learned a lot on your field trip today."

Dad nodded. "Yes, and do you know what that reminds me of?"

Jeff chuckled. "Something to do with the Bible, I bet," he replied. "Probably that Jesus is called the light of the world?"

Dad grinned back. "That, too," he said, "but I was actually thinking of the prisms. Jesus is the light of the world, and Christians are like those prisms. We're to shine as lights, too, but in doing so, we're actually reflecting the light of Jesus for the rest of the world to see. Just like each of those prisms was important, each of us is important. It's our job to reflect God's light to a lost world."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What are you doing to reflect the light of Jesus? Are you using the talents He has given you to glorify Him? Are you telling others about Him? Are you inviting them to join you in Sunday school or Bible club? Is your life a testimony as you treat others in a kind and loving way? God holds you responsible to let His light shine out through you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
You shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:15

[Soldier4Christ]

Carter climbed into the car and slammed the door. "I don't know how Miss Norton knows everything I do," he grumbled. His Sunday school teacher had looked straight at him and read in the Bible about some of his secret sins-things he thought nobody knew about. "She even knew that sometimes I . . ." Carter stopped, suddenly realizing that his folks didn't know he did some of the things his teacher had read about. He quickly changed the subject. "Look at Darci's face."

Mom smiled and handed the little girl a mirror from her purse. "What have you been eating?" asked Mom.

"We had 'freshments in Sunday school. It was Merri's birthday," said Darci, swiping at her mouth with her hand. Some chocolate still didn't come off.

When they gathered around the dinner table a little later, Carter grinned at Darci. "There's still chocolate on your mouth," he told her.

Darci jumped up. "I forgot," she said, and she hurried off to wash her face.

Carter laughed. "How could she forget to wash that off after seeing herself in your mirror?" he wondered. "I wouldn't forget."

"Don't be so sure," said Dad. "I think we all sometimes forget how we look." He shook his head. "Have you ever seen yourself in the 'mirror' of the Word of God, Carter?"

"What does that mean?" asked Carter.

"When we read God's Word, we often get at least a glimpse of how we look in God's sight," replied Dad. "We see things we should be doing, and we see other things in our lives that need to be changed." Carter remembered the verses his teacher had read from the Bible. They referred to things he knew should be changed in his life. "It doesn't do any good to see what we should do, or to see our faults if we don't correct them," continued Dad. "If we ignore them, we're like Darci. We look in the mirror-in our case, the mirror of God's Word-and do nothing about what we see there. "

"Let's eat." Darci interrupted the conversation as she came back. "My face is all clean now."

Dad smiled. "Good," he said. "Let's all make sure we don't forget to clean up the things in our lives that God wants us to change."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
When you look into the mirror of God's Word, do you like what you see? If you see sin in your life, don't forget it or try to hide it. Instead, confess it to God and ask Him to forgive you. He wants to help you change and clean up your life. He wants to help you live as you should.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
By the law (God's Word) is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

[Soldier4Christ]

"Guess what?" Lisa bounded into the kitchen, followed by Amy. "Amy and I volunteered to give a demonstration at the next 4-H Club meeting."

"Great," said Mom. "What will you demonstrate?"

Both girls looked at her with a blank stare, and then burst into peals of laughter. "We didn't even think about that,"said Amy. "It just sounded like fun to get up and give a demonstration!" All was quiet for a moment. Then Amy snapped her fingers. "I know. Let's give a demonstration on flower arranging. My mom has a book that shows how to do it. I'm sure she'll let us use it-and we have lots of flowers in our garden."

The girls went to Amy's house, and all afternoon they studied the pictures and instructions in the book and practiced arranging flowers. Finally, they returned to Lisa's home to show her mother the bouquet they had made. "Beautiful!" Mom exclaimed. "That's really lovely."

"We're still working on our speech," said Lisa. "We have three weeks to practice." She held up the bouquet. "May I go with Amy to her Aunt Clara's house tomorrow morning?" she asked. "We want to give this arrangement to her. She's crippled and can't even get out of bed now." Mom nodded her approval, and the next morning the girls took the flowers to the elderly lady and spent an hour talking with her.

"How did your demonstration go?" Mom asked when Lisa returned home.

"Today we just took the flowers to Amy's aunt," Lisa replied. "We won't be doing the demonstration for a few weeks yet." She was surprised her mother had forgotten.

Mom smiled. "I know," she said, "but I'm talking about the demonstration you performed this morning. You girls demonstrated something far more important than flower arranging."

"We did?" asked Lisa.

"A lot of people talk about God's love, but you and Amy demonstrated it by your thoughtfulness," explained Mom, giving Lisa a hug. "I'm sure it meant a lot to Amy's aunt. The flowers you arranged are beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as the love you showed by giving them to her and spending time with her."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your actions show people in the world that God loves them? Are you thoughtful of other kids? Do you help whenever you can? Do you put others ahead of your own wishes? Sometimes people refuse to listen when someone tells them about Jesus, but they may be impressed by the way you live to please Him. Let them see Jesus in you. Demonstrate God's love to someone today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18

[Soldier4Christ]

Oh, right! Shelly thought to herself when her Sunday school teacher suggested that the class members let their brothers and sisters know they loved them. "Don't just tell them," said Mrs. Johnson. "Show them, too."

 You obviously don't know my brother, thought Shelly. Todd's a pain! Even Mom and Dad are mad at him half the time.

When Shelly got home, her dog, Moppet, looked up from his basket. "Hi, Baby," crooned Shelly. As she sat down to pet the little dog, Todd walked through the kitchen. Moppet promptly jumped from his basket and followed Todd outside. Shelly glared after him. "Hey, Moppet! You belong to me, you know. How come you always prefer to be with my brother?" complained Shelly. Sighing, she got up and went to her room to change her clothes.

Later that evening, Shelly noticed that her brother didn't appear to be very interested in the TV program he was watching. I wonder if Todd is lonely, she thought. He doesn't seem to have many friends. I'm always so busy with my own friends that I don't talk with him very often, either-except when we're fighting. And Mom and Dad are usually too busy to talk much to either of us.

Shelly remembered how she felt when Moppet often chose to follow Todd instead of her. It annoyed her, and it made her feel kind of sad, too. Is that how Todd feels? she wondered. Sad . . . and maybe lonely because all of us seem to prefer to be with somebody else? Shelly thought again of Mrs. Johnson's words. I don't always get along with Todd, she thought, but actually, I do love him.

Shelly went to the kitchen and got a glass of milk and some cookies. She took them to the living room and handed them to her brother. Todd looked up in surprise. "What's that for?" he asked.

 "Just . . . just . . . for you because I . . . I care about you," stammered Shelly. She went to get some milk and cookies for herself. Todd looked even more surprised when she returned and sat down, but Shelly thought he seemed glad to have her there. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Lord, Shelly prayed silently, help me show Todd that You care, too.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your brothers and sisters know you care about them? Sometimes it's harder to get along with family members than with anyone else, but it's important that you do so. Ask the Lord to help you be a good testimony to your family in both the words you say to them and the things you do. Let them know you care for them-that you love them. Pray for them, and let them know God loves them, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:21

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, I want the little white puppy with the black nose," said Jodi, zipping her jacket as they got ready to go to their uncle's farm to pick out a puppy.

"Not me!" said James. "l want the black puppy."

When they arrived at the farm, the kids rushed to the barn where the puppies were. "Oh, they're all so cute!" exclaimed Jodi. "I was sure I wanted this white puppy, but that black one has a cute little white spot right by his nose. The brown one is cute, too-or that spotted one."

"Yeah," agreed James. "I'm not sure anymore which one I want, either!"

Jodi and James took turns holding first one puppy, then another. "I think I still want this white one," said Jodi at last. "If that's okay with you, you could name her since I'm the one who picked her."

"Okay," agreed James. "Works for me." Mom was ready to leave, too, so after thanking their uncle for the puppy, they picked it up and headed home.

A few days later, James reminded Mom of his upcoming birthday party. "I'm not forgetting," Mom assured him. "You said you have a new boy at school-Brandon. Did you invite him?"

"No." James hesitated. "I'm not sure I should. He's not like us-he's from some other country. He looks . . . different. He's not black, but he's not white, either. I'm not sure what he is."   

Mom raised her brows as she looked at the puppy snuggled in James' arms. "James," she said, "you first wanted the black puppy. Then you saw all the others again and could hardly decide which you preferred. Do you think you could have loved any one of them as well as this white one?"

"Sure," said James. "They're all cute. Why?"

"Well," said Mom, "if the color of a puppy's fur doesn't matter to you, why does the color of a person's skin matter? Couldn't someone be as good a friend and just as much fun no matter what color his skin is?"

James nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "I guess I just wasn't thinking! Okay. I'll give Brandon a call right after supper and invite him to my party."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you shy away from people with skin a different color than yours? Or do other kids avoid you because your skin color is different from most of theirs? Skin color is not important to God, and it shouldn't be to you, either. Have you made an effort to be friends with someone who has skin of a different color? What are you waiting for? Make that effort today!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men. Acts 17:26

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, guess what! Karl's got chicken pox!" called Luke as he ran into the house. Luke had been the first in his class to get chicken pox, and now others were coming down with it. Luke paused for breath and listened as his mother finished a phone conversation. "Was that Mrs. Burks? They're going to move to Texas, aren't they?" he asked as she hung up the telephone.

"You weren't supposed to hear that," said Mom. "Don't tell anyone about it. Mr. Burk's boss is on vacation, so Mr. Burk hasn't had a chance to tell him yet. Now, who did you say has chicken pox?" Luke repeated his news about Karl.

Luke didn't tell anyone about the Burks-until Sunday morning, that is. Then it just sort of slipped out when he told his friend Eric that they'd soon have a new Sunday school teacher. "But don't tell anyone," added Luke. And Eric didn't-at least not for a few hours. Then he told his older sister, Leslie, who told her best friend, Karen.

By the end of the week, several more children in Luke's class had chicken pox. And by the end of the week, several more people knew that the Burks were moving. Karen didn't know it was a secret, so she passed the news on to her parents, who mentioned it at a committee meeting. After someone told the Burks they would be missed when they moved to Texas, Mrs. Burk told Luke's mother that the "news was out."

"Luke," said Mom that afternoon, "I didn't tell anyone the Burks were moving. Did you?"

"Well . . . just Eric-but I told him not to tell," replied Luke.

"Mrs. Burk says the news is all over town," said Mom. "News spreads fast."

"Like the chicken pox?" asked Luke.

"Something like that," agreed Mom. "Once you exposed your friends to the chicken pox, there was nothing you could do to stop it. And when you tell a 'secret' to even one person, the story is almost sure to spread."

Luke knew he had been wrong. "I . . . I'm sorry," he said.

"I should have been more careful and made sure you didn't overhear me talking with Mrs. Burk," said Mom. "I think we both need to apologize to them, don't you? And how about to God?" Slowly, Luke nodded.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a good friend? A good friend knows how to keep a secret. That means not telling even one person. When you're taken into someone's confidence, talk about it only to the Lord-unless it's something parents or another adult ought to know. Today's Scripture warns about the proper and improper use of the tongue. Pay attention to what God says!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly. Proverbs 15:2

[Soldier4Christ]

I wish Mom wouldn't leave me home alone when she goes out at night, thought Jenny as she huddled under the ragged sheet on her bed. She sighed. I'm hungry, too. Her mother had told her to "shift for herself" as suppertime, and Jenny hadn't been able to find much to eat. She hugged Ruffles, her teddy bear, close. "I'm so glad I got you back," she whispered to him. Ruffles was very old and worn, and Jenny's mother had tossed him into the trash. Just in time, Jenny had seen him there, and she had rescued him.

Jenny sighed. I wish every day were Wednesday, she thought. Wednesdays brought her the brightest times of the whole week. That was when Mr. and Mrs. Adams came to the community center after school and taught a children's Bible club. Each Wednesday they came with friendly smiles and a new Bible story. "I love to hear about Jesus. He cares about everybody, even little kids and sick people," Jenny murmured as she remembered the Bible story she had heard the past week.

"A man came to Jesus with a terrible disease-leprosy. It was a disease that often disfigured people-that is, it made them look ugly," Mrs. Adams had explained. "Jesus reached out, touched the leper, and healed him."

Mr. Adams nodded. "Lepers remind me of us," he said. "They looked ugly to other people, and our sins-even those little children commit-look ugly to God. But Jesus loved the leper and helped him. He loves children, too-He loves you and wants to help you. When you accept Him as Savior, He forgives your sin. Trust Him. He wants to help you all through life-even through the unpleasant times."

As Jenny remembered those words, she thought about Ruffles, and it helped her understand what Mr. Adams meant. Jenny loved Ruffles even though he was old and ragged and some of his stuffing had leaked out. If a girl could love an old teddy bear so much, she knew that Jesus-who was God-would love a girl even more! "I do trust You, Jesus," she whispered. "Thank You for loving me and being with me all the time." Jenny's lips curved up in a smile as she hugged Ruffles closer to her. She sighed a big sigh of relief, pulled the thin blanket up around her shoulders, and fell asleep.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are there things in your life that make you unhappy? Do you feel alone-as though no one cares about you? Jesus cares. When He was on earth, He took little children up in His arms and said to let them come to Him. He wants you to come to Him , too, and to trust in Him. Jesus wants you to know that He'll stay with you no matter where you are or what happens. He loves boys and girls. He loves you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them. Mark 10:14

[Soldier4Christ]

For the second time, Jacob fumbled for the snooze button on the alarm clock. As soon as the ringing stopped, he burrowed deeper into his blanket. It seemed to be only a minute later when the jangling sound of the alarm roused him again. Once more he hit the snooze button and nestled back in his bed. Before the alarm could sound again, his mother was at his door. "Get up at once, Jacob," she ordered. "You'll have to hurry or you'll miss your bus."

"Oh!" Jacob sat up quickly, then stumbled from his bed. "I'll hurry." He did, and he was ready for school just in time to catch the bus.

That evening when it was time for him to go to bed, Jacob sat down with his parents for their evening Bible reading. "My alarm didn't go off this morning," he complained. "I almost missed my bus."

Mom laughed. "It went off all right," she assured him.

"Are you sure?" asked Jacob. "I didn't hear it."

"Yes, I'm sure," said Mom with a smile. "I heard it, and you did, too. You didn't wake up fully, so you just don't remember. You kept hitting the snooze button and going back to sleep. I finally went and called you myself."

"That sounds like the way Christians sometimes live," said Dad.

Jacob frowned. "I don't think Christians hit the snooze buttons on their alarm clocks any more than other people do," he said.

Dad grinned at Jacob's puzzled look and reached for his Bible. "Let's read tonight from Romans 13. It tells us that Christians need to 'wake up.' Why don't you read for us, Jacob?" He handed the Bible to Jacob.

When Jacob finished reading, Dad nodded. ""In a way, God is sounding an alarm in those verses. He says we'd better wake up and live as we should because our time on earth is getting shorter and shorter. The day is coming when it will be too late to win people to Jesus or to serve the Lord in other ways. So often we ignore the warning He gives us. It's as though we hit a snooze button and fail to get busy and do the things we know He wants us to do."

Mom nodded. "We need to wake up and live for the Lord and serve Him while we have time," she agreed.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you hit the "snooze button" in your Christian life? Do you go about day by day pleasing yourself? Time is passing quickly. It's time to wake up and start pleasing the Lord. Read today's Scripture again and see how many practical commands God gives in this short passage. Ask Him to help you obey each one now, while there's time.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin. 1 Corinthians 15:34

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hi, Nathan," said Phillip as he sat down at the kitchen table next to his big brother. "What are you doing?"

"Hi, kid." Nathan put down his pencil. "I'm figuring out how much more money I'll need for college next year."

"If you ask me, it's bad enough to have to go to school without having to pay for it!" replied Phillip. He sounded a little disgusted.

   Mom looked up from where she was working at the cupboard. "All the effort and money Nathan puts into his education now will be more than repaid in the future," she said. "It will be worth the price he'll have to pay." She dried her hands and went to answer the phone.

"That was Mr. Scott," she said when she returned. "He says Scamp got into his trash cans again. Phillip, did you tie Scamp up after you fed him this morning?"

"Oh, no!" Phillip groaned. "I guess maybe I forgot," he muttered. "I'll go right over and pick up the mess." Half an hour later, Phillip returned with an unhappy expression on his face. "Boy, that was awful," he said. "There were old chicken bones and banana peels and everything else all over the yard. Yuck!"

Mom smiled sympathetically. "Well, Son, maybe the Lord felt you needed another lesson in responsibility," she said. "You do have a habit of neglecting things you're supposed to care for."

"I know, and I'm trying to do better," said Phillip.

"That's good," Mom encouraged him. "Keep working at it. Only a few minutes ago we talked about the high cost of education, remember? And how it's worth the price?"

"But I'm not in college . . ." began Phillip.

"Mom's not talking about just college," interrupted Nathan with a grin.

"That's right," agreed Mom. "Picking up all that trash seems to be the price you need to pay to learn to be more responsible. Learning that lesson is worth all the trouble and work you had to do!"

Phillip sighed. "I think I've learned it," he said. "I sure hope so anyway!"

"Good." Mom smiled. "Now be sure to be willing to learn all the other lessons God has for you. Thank Him for them, and try not to grumble about their cost."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What price are you paying as you learn the lessons God has for you? Has it cost you your pride when you had to apologize for something you did? Did it cost you some freedom when you were grounded for misbehaving? What other costs have there been? Don't underestimate the value of the many qualities God may be developing in you through your troubles. Your spiritual education may cost a lot, but it's worth it!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies, and all . . . you may desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs 3:15

[Soldier4Christ]

Feeling a little nervous about babysitting, Anna rang the bell at a friend's home. "Hi, Anna." Mrs. King greeted her with a smile. "All ready to work?" When Anna nodded, Mrs. King explained what needed to be done. She showed Anna a list of emergency numbers on a bulletin board. "As they say, help is as close as the telephone, and it's right there." Mrs. King pointed to the phone on the corner of the cupboard. Then with a wave and a smile, Mr. and Mrs. King were gone.

After Anna played several games with the two children in her charge, it was nearly their bedtime. "Your mom said you could have toast and jelly before you go to bed," said Anna. "You can play a little longer while I get it for you." She went to the kitchen, fixed toast for each of the kids, and took it back to the family room. As they began to eat, they were all startled by the loud buzzing of the smoke alarm located in the hall. Anna gasped. Oh, what do I do now? she thought in panic. She jumped up. Lord, please show me what to do, she prayed silently.

Grasping each child by a hand, Anna hurried to the door and sent them to wait for her on the far side of the yard. She watched them go and kept an eye on them as she ran and grabbed the cordless phone. She dialed the fire department while she hurried out to join the children in the yard.

Soon she heard a siren, and a fire truck came around the corner. The firemen hurried into the Kings' house. Before long, they came back out, smiling. "It's all right," they said. "We've checked everything. There's no fire, but smoke from a piece of bread caught in the toaster apparently tripped the smoke alarm." Anna was relieved, but she was also embarrassed because she had called the fire department over burned toast. "You did exactly the right thing," the firemen told Anna. "Never take a chance when there could be a fire."

Later that night, Anna told her family about the excitement."Know what?" she said. "After I used the phone to call the fire department, it still took the firemen a little time to get there. But when I asked the Lord to show me what to do, right away He helped me remember that we learned we should get out fast if there's a fire." She grinned. "Mrs. King told me help was as close as the phone, but I found out help was even closer than that."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you discovered that prayer is even better than a telephone? It takes time for people to come after you call them on the phone. God, on the other hand, is with you right now. Isn't it amazing that the Almighty God who made all things wants you to call on Him when you feel the need for help?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (God) is not far from each one of us. Acts 17:27

[Soldier4Christ]

Joe's parents agreed that he could have either a bird or a guinea pig if he would care for it properly. In a way he wanted a bird. It would be cool to have a pet that sings, he thought, but I could hold and play with a guinea pig. It was a hard decision, but he finally decided on the guinea pig. "I'm going to name it Rascal," said Joe, and that's what he did.

Each day, Joe checked Rascal's food and water and spent time petting him. Before long, Rascal scrambled to Joe whenever Joe put him on the floor. "I'm glad I got Rascal! He's fun to play with," said Joe. With a grin, he added, "Now if he could just learn to sing, we'd be all set."

One morning Joe rushed into the kitchen. "Mom! Come to my room," he exclaimed. "There's something you've got to see!" Setting the frying pan to one side, Mom followed Joe to his room. "Listen!" said Joe as Rascal began making chirping and whistling sounds. "He's singing! I thought about getting a bird because it would sing, and now Rascal is singing! What do you think of that?"

"I am impressed!" declared Mom. "I didn't know guinea pigs could sing. What a sweet sound!" She smiled at Joe. "I wonder if they all make sounds like that?"

"I don't know." Joe shrugged. "I guess he must be happy!"

"He sounds happy to me," Mom agreed, "and I noticed he began singing when you stepped into the room. Do you think he's singing to thank you for your care and to express affection in his own way?"

Joe's eyes lit up with the thought. "Yeah, I guess," he replied, pleased with the idea.

"It makes you feel pretty good, doesn't it, to think you're taking care of all his needs, and he's happy and content and showing his gratitude?" Joe nodded. "You know, I believe God is pleased when we sing praises to Him, too," Mom continued. "David-who God called a man after His own heart-wrote many songs of praise."

Joe smiled and nodded. "I guess we should be like Rascal," he decided, "and sing praises to thank God for how He cares for us."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you appreciate all the care God gives you? Do you thank Him for the many blessings He has provided-food, clothes, toys, family, friends, protection?Do you thank Him for forgiveness, new life, and a sure future in heaven? Try doing what our key verse suggests-sing a song to God in the morning, even right out loud! Love Him! He loves you, and likes to hear you sing His praises.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I will sing of Your power; I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning. Psalm 59:16

[Soldier4Christ]

As Carmine and her mother walked along Lake Minnow one chilly spring day, a wispy mist rose from the warm water. "Look, Mom. That lady is feeding the ducks," said Carmine, motioning toward a woman seated on a bench. A mob of ducks milled around the lady, frantically pushing and shoving to get the cracked corn she offered them. "There's one with babies!" Carmine exclaimed. She laughed as she pointed to a mother duck with several little ones. "They're so cute and tiny, but they're acting just like the big ducks."

"Yes, but notice how close they stick to their mother," replied Mom.

"How do they know which one she is?" asked Carmine. "Ducks all look alike."

The woman on the bench turned. "They know their mother's voice," she said with a smile.

"They do?" asked Carmine. Then she noticed two ducklings at the edge of the group. They were tripping along, peeping at the top of their little voices. "Oh, the poor things," she said. "I guess they don't have a mother."

The woman pointed to the duck family. "They belong with the others," she said. "They got separated from the brood a minute ago."

Suddenly the mother duck started for the water, quacking loudly. The ducklings with her followed. The other two hesitated, and then they also hurried toward her and fell in line with the others as the mother duck led them far out into the lake. "Wow! They really do know her voice," said Carmine, "and they listen to her, don't they?"

The woman nodded. "Kids should listen to their mothers' voices as well as the ducklings do," she said with a grin.

Mom chuckled. "I agree," she said as she and Carmine turned to go home.

"I agree, too," Carmine told her mother as they walked along. She laughed when Mom looked at her in surprise. "Well, okay, I admit I don't always act like it, but I know mothers really do want what's best for their kids," said Carmine. She reached out and squeezed her mother's arm. "I love you, Mom," added Carmine, "and I'll try to do a better job of listening to your advice." She grinned. "If ducklings know enough to mind their own mothers, I guess I should be smart enough to do that, too."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you listen to your mother? Do you follow her advice? Even animals-like the ducklings-listen to their mothers, who were provided by God to care for them in a special way. Do you hear and obey those God provided to care for you and to teach you? He gives parents or other adults wisdom to guide children. Mother's Day is a good time to thank Him for parents, other caretakers, and especially for mothers.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Do not forsake the law of your mother. Proverbs 1:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, how come Christians have such different ideas about right and wrong?" asked Joanna one day. "You and Daddy won't let me go to movies, but Stacey's parents think it's okay. Pastor Griffin doesn't believe in playing cards, but the Wilsons go to our church, and they play bridge sometimes. You see what I mean? Why can't Christians agree on what's right and what's wrong?"

"There isn't a simple answer to that," replied Mom. "Let's see . . . we're having Uncle Phil and Aunt Sue over for dinner tonight, right?"

Joanna nodded. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?"

"Well," said Mom, "we'll all eat quite differently. Aunt Sue has diabetes and avoids food with sugar in it. Uncle Phil is on a low cholesterol diet."

"And Daddy wants to lose weight." Joanna giggled. "I guess he'll eat a big salad and not too much of the other stuff."

"You're probably right," agreed Mom. "Because people have different physical conditions, they have different dietary needs. And Christians have different backgrounds and different levels of maturity, so they have different 'spiritual dietary' needs."

"You mean, what's right for one person may not be right for another?" asked Joanna.

"In a way that's true," said Mom. "God may convict one believer about a certain activity because it would cause him-or those around him-to stumble in the Christian walk. Someone else may have a tender conscience about a particular activity because of a bad experience relating to it or because of the way he was brought up. In that case, it would be wrong for him to take part in that activity though it might not be harmful for someone else to do so."

Joanna was thoughtful. "Then it's just up to each person to decide what he may and may not do?" she asked.

"Well," said Mom, "many things are spelled out so clearly in the Bible that there's no room for argument. Regarding things not specifically mentioned, we need to depend on the Holy Spirit to show us the best choice for us. We must follow the principles God has established and avoid anything that would hurt His cause or harm others. We need to ask Him to teach us what is right."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you ask God to show you what things you should or should not do? Many issues are not specifically spelled out in the Bible, so don't be critical of the way others handle them. On the other hand, don't do something you have doubts about, even if other Christians are doing it. You may have a "special need" in that area. Be willing to accept your parents' guidance while you form your own convictions.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let each (person) be fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 14:5

[Soldier4Christ]

"C'mon-lets go toss a few baskets with my new, official ball," suggested Joanna's brother Cameron one Sunday afternoon.

A few minutes after the kids began bouncing the basketball on the driveway and attempting to outscore each other in making baskets, they heard a voice from next door. "I'm surprised at you Taylor children-playing ball on Sunday!" said their new neighbor. "And you people call yourselves Christians!" With that, Mrs. White turned on her heel and stalked off into her house.

Joanna and Cameron looked at each other in dismay and then hurried to ask their parents what they should do. "Can you believe that?" grumbled Cameron, as he told the story. "Some people sure are picky!"

Mom sighed. "Don't be disrespectful, Son," she said. "I'm sure Mrs. White means well. She was probably brought up to believe any kind of exercise or outdoor recreation is wrong on Sunday."

Joanna scowled. "Wow! I'm glad you and Dad don't feel that way," she said, "but . . . is that like what you told me about 'special diets,' Mom? That what's wrong for one person may be right for someone else?"

"Yes, and we talked about how it's important to respect the 'special diets,' or convictions, of other people, remember?" asked Mom.

Dad nodded. "Since Mrs. White believes that rough and loud playing on Sunday is wrong, you need to tone it down-maybe even confine your ball playing to other days of the week."

"Aw, Dad! Where in the Bible does it say, 'Don't play ball on Sunday'?" grumbled Cameron. "Why should we have to change what we do just because of what she believes?"

   "I can think of one good reason," Dad replied. "Although the Bible doesn't say, 'Don't play ball on Sunday,' it does say, 'Do not let your good be spoken of as evil.' So even though you think it's good to play ball, you may have to stop doing that if it offends Mrs. White. Always remember that the convictions of other people are important, too."

"Okay," said Cameron. "Come on, Joanna. If we can't play ball, let's go play that new game I got for my birthday."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you respect the convictions of others? You don't have to agree with what everyone else believes, but you can modify your actions whenever possible, so you don't offend people unnecessarily. You may feel free to participate in some "fun" activity, but if it hinders your testimony to others, it's just not worth it. When it seems like you're giving up too much, stop for a moment and think about all Christ gave up for you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block. 1 Corinthians 8:9

[Soldier4Christ]

"The last avalanche of rocks at this site took place in 1990," Kaitlin read from the plaque at the rest stop. She turned to look at the huge boulders along the side of the mountain road. "So all these rocks landed here back then," she said thoughtfully. "That wasn't so very long ago! I hope no more of them decide to fall today!"

"Hey, look!" Caleb pointed to another big rock bearing the names "Johnny and Sue" and the date of May 30, 1990 in faded spray paint. "Looks like some kids wanted to have their names written on stone." He grinned. "If we had some spray paint, we could add ours, too."

Mom shook her head. "That's not a good idea," she objected. "It's a shame to spoil the mountain that way!"

Dad nodded. "I guess Johnny and Sue wanted their names written in a special place," he said, "and it probably made them feel important to have them written on stone. Everyone seems to want to have his name live on forever."

"Well, these lasted quite a while, but they're fading away," observed Mom.

"You know," said Dad with a little smile, "I once had my name written in a special place, too."

"Bill!" scolded Mom. "You didn't!"

Dad grinned. "Yup," he said. "It was when I was younger . . . before you met me."

"Cool!" exclaimed Caleb. "Where is it? Do you think it's still there?"

"It sure is," said Dad. "The Bible says so. My name is written in heaven."

"In heaven!" exclaimed Kaitlin. "On stone?"

"Nope." Dad shook his head. "It's in the Book of Life. When I gave my life to Jesus, He wrote my name in His special book where no avalanche can bury it, no rain can fade it, and nobody can come and wipe it out. When I die my name in that book will prove I belong in heaven, and God will welcome me into my new home there."

"I gave my life to Jesus, too," said Kaitlin.

"So did I," echoed Caleb, "so our names are written there forever, right?"

"They sure are," said Mom, "and so is mine."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your name written in heaven? If it is, that's a reason to rejoice-to be glad-and give thanks to God. If it's not already written there, it can be. If you'll receive Jesus as your Savior, your name will be written in the Book of Life where it can never be destroyed or removed.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20