Category: Followers of Jesus

PHOTO CAPTION: Letting your kids help in the kitchen is one way of encouraging helpfulness and kindness.

“Let’s share and work together!” I think that’s what the photo above is saying. Either way, I think my granddaughter is cute and adorable! However, learning to share and treat others with kindness, whether you are young or old, is not always easy. After all, looking out for number one comes quite naturally to us. It’s called self preservation and at some point, self preservation isn’t so bad. That innate tendency to look out for ourselves helps us to watch out for danger, to be responsible to care for ourselves and also be a contributing member of society, but let’s temper it with a little love, kindness and sharing. Let’s remember to take time to look out for others too.

How can we do this? Well, if you’re like me, I see ample opportunities to help others. In fact sometimes there are so many opportunities that I get a little overwhelmed! Where’s the balance between caring, kindness and sharing and also taking the time to care for yourself? Where’s the balance between giving with abandon and saving for the future or that rainy day when you just might need a little extra? I struggle with finding that balance on an ongoing basis. One thing I am learning though is that prayer helps. Prayer helps me find that balance. When I cry out to God and take everything to Him, whether it seems big or little, He gives me grace and strength and also helps me adjust my priorities which is something I need to do on a regular basis. He reminds me to put first things first and loving Him should be number one.

I’m also learning to walk slowly. This is so hard because I want to rush through life. I want to cross as many things off my list as I can. Yet God says to me, “Walk slowly. Take the time to be in the moment.” If that moment is praying with a friend, then give your friend your full attention. If it’s fixing a meal for your family, do it with love and thankfulness. If it’s smiling at the checker at the grocery store, then do it with everything you have. Maybe it’s even stopping long enough to let a friend pray for you or do something for you, receive it with grace.

Kindness and sharing come so much more naturally for me when I stop long enough to realize that God is in control. He is in control of every part of my life and He orchestrates the moments. Even interruptions are in His hands and maybe those interruptions are part of what He has for me at that moment. Instead of struggling and straining against the problems, interruptions and time constraints of life, I want to live in God’s grace. His timing is incredible. When I realize that God is in control, then I can extend grace and kindness to others. I’m not quite so worried about looking out for number one because I know God is watching out for me.

I wonder what the outcome would have been in Jacob and Esau’s story had they allowed God to orchestrate their decisions. Would Esau have chosen more wisely? Would Jacob have allowed God to work out the timing for him to be the leader of his family in way that would have been honoring to Esau as well? Maybe years of being apart would have been resolved sooner had they treated each other with a little more kindness and realized that God was ultimately in control. Maybe I’m reading too much into this story, still I wonder…. Kindness and sharing can go a long way toward smoothing out the rough places in our lives.

Kindness and sharing can help to make the world a more gracious, beautiful place. Wouldn’t you rather have a more gracious beautiful place in this world rather than the “dog eat dog” world it seems to have become? Then let’s walk slowly and take time to show a little kindness today. You can start with your family.

PARENT PRAYER:
God,
I recognize my tendency to rush through life. I don’t want to disappoint people and I tend to put too much on my plate. I’m learning, with your help, to walk slowly and show kindness to others. I still need a lot of help with this Lord. Walk with me today. Help me hear your voice and stop long enough to listen. Remind me to treat my family with kindness as well as it is so easy to take my family for granted. Thank you for loving and caring for me. You are amazing God! You have given me much, show me how I can share what you have given with others. There are so many needs out there, so many good causes, that I feel overwhelmed with where to share. I need wisdom in giving, sharing and showing kindness. Amen

HELPING KIDS LEARN KINDNESS & SHARING
It starts at home. When we treat our spouse or other members of our family with grace and kindness, our kids will be more likely to do the same.

• Let young children help. Yes, it does take more time. You could do it faster on your own, but helping is important. They are learning life skills when they help and they like to help when they are young. If you wait until they are teens, they probably won’t be as excited about helping. Kindness is helping. It’s working together with love.
  
  • Young children can do a lot more than you might think. They can drop cookie dough on a cookie sheet, stir something with supervision of course, or wash veggies. They can start picking up their toys with your help if you make it fun and they can get you something that is within their reach when you ask. They can also help you feed your family pet. Encourage them to do as much as they can themselves.
    
  • Kindness is being helpful, showing love and giving. It’s being friendly, giving grace or sharing what you have.
    
• For young children, sharing is hard. If possible, try to have more than one car, doll, ball or whatever for your child to be to share with a friend. Demonstrate sharing to them and help them make those decisions to share.
  
• Encourage gentle touches.
  
• As your child grows and shows interest in helping others, encourage their interest if at all possible. If he or she desires to give something to a local food bank or rescue a homeless kitten or sponsor a child, do it together.
  
• Do something kind for a friend or neighbor. Try to do it without being found out. A kind act might be baking cookies to deliver to your neighbor or picking a bouquet from your yard to give away, making soup for someone who is sick.
  
• Encourage your child to be friendly. Sit with a new child at school or invite a friend to play. Even offering a smile is a kind gesture.
  
• Listen! Really, truly listen! Listen to friends, family, your child.

Kid’s Section

STORY: Twin Grow Up – Genesis 27
Jacob and Esau were twins. Isaac and Rebekah were very happy that God gave them twin baby boys to love, but Jacob and Esau didn’t stay little. They grew up just like you are doing. (Start in a crouched position and then slowly stand up and reach as high as you can as though growing.)

Jacob and Esau were very different from each other. They liked to do different things. Esau liked to be outside. He liked to go hunting. Jacob liked to stay close to home. He helped out around the tents where his family lived. Jacob liked to cook delicious food to eat.

One day Jacob was cooking some yummy stew, (Pretend to stir.) when Esau came home from hunting. Esau was hungry. (Rub tummy.) He was very, very hungry! (Rub tummy again.) He was very, very, very hungry!! The stew smelled so good! (Sniff the air.) He asked Jacob to give him some stew to eat, but Jacob didn’t want to. He didn’t want to share, (Shake head no and cross arms.) so he made Esau promise that he could be the family leader if he shared the stew. Esau wanted the stew so bad that he said, “Sure!” Jacob wasn’t very kind to Esau and Esau didn’t make a very good choice. Still God loved and cared for them both. (Give self a hug.) Have you ever made a bad choice? Maybe you haven’t been very kind to your brother or sister or you didn’t want to share. Sometimes it’s hard to be nice to our family isn’t it?

Later when Isaac, Jacob and Esau’s dad, was old. Jacob and his mom decided to trick Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau. Jacob dressed up and pretended to be Esau. That was not a kind or honest thing to do either. Still God forgave Jacob and loved and cared for him. (Give self a hug.) God was with Jacob, Esau and their family and He will be with you. I wonder if Jacob could have asked God to help him instead of being unkind? (Fold hands as though praying.) I wonder if Esau could have asked God to help him make a good choice when he was hungry instead of becoming impatient? I think Jacob and Esau should have asked God for help.

No matter what Jacob and Esau did and no matter what you do, God still loves you. (Give self a hug.) He will be with you everyday. He will help you make good choices too, if you ask Him. (Fold hands as though praying.) God will help you be honest and kind to your family. He can help you share with your brother or sister. God wants families to love and care for each other. (Give self a hug.) When we love and care for each other, we will be happier and we will be doing what God wants us to do.

PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for my family and that you love and care for me. I know you are with me. Help me to be kind to my family, to share and make good choices too. Amen

KNOW: God is with me. He cares for me.
TALK ABOUT: Families and good choices.
ASK: Who loves you? God loves me. Who cares for you? God cares for me.
AND DO… Love and care for my family. Be kind!

MEMORIZE: 1 Peter 5:7 ERV – (Hold hands like holding a book.)
He – (Point upwards.)
Cares – (Rub arm gently.)
For you – (Give self a hug.)

FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK

• Have your child help you make something for dinner – cookies, soup, anything easy.
  • Share something with a brother, sister or friend.
    • Thank God for your family and that He cares for you.