The Kindness of Jesus

Bible Story: The Kindness of Jesus | Matt. 8:1-4; Matt. 19:13-15; Matt. 9:10-13
Bottom Line: Jesus showed us how to be kind.
Virtue: Kindness – Showing others they are valuable by how you treat them

We start this month in the book of Matthew as we look at three moments of kindness from Jesus’ life. Whether Jesus was healing the sick, blessing little children, or sharing meals with people who others seemed to disregard, He was full of love and kindness. With the way He treated others, Jesus made sure that everyone knew they were valuable in God’s eyes.

As we consider how we can show kindness to others, the best place to start is with Jesus. When we read about how Jesus was kind to others, we can learn how to reflect God’s love with the way we treat others and show them they are valuable. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God was so incredibly kind to us. In response, we can choose to be kind to the people we meet each day.

Ruth + Naomi

Bible Story: Family Ties | Ruth 1-2
Bottom Line: Be kind to the people closest to you
Virtue: Kindness – Showing others they are valuable by how you treat them

In Week 2, we head to Ruth 1 and 2, where we find Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Both of their husbands had died, and Ruth had the opportunity to return home to her family. Instead, she chose to show kindness to Naomi and stay with her. Ruth’s kindness didn’t go unnoticed. Boaz saw how Ruth had treated Naomi and offered kindness to Ruth, changing her life in a huge way.

When it comes to our family and friends, we can often find ourselves taking them for granted. We hope that through the story of Ruth, kids will learn to show kindness to the people who care about them the most.

Go The Extra Mile

For Week 3, we turn to Matthew 5:41. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: “Supposed someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with them.” To us, that might sound strange; but to those listening – not so much. Jesus’ listeners knew that a Roman solder could force them to carry their pack for a full mile. Jesus said to go two! And in doing so, Jesus reminded His followers about the importance of going above and beyond in the way they chose to respond to others.

Often kindness can feel like an obligation. Because of that, we tend to do the bare minimum when it comes to being kind to others. What if we helped kids look at it differently? What if we helped them see that kindness can be extravagant and unexpected? It’s that sort of kindness that can change people’s hearts and show them how much God loves them.

Good Samaritan

Bible Story: Good Samaritan | Luke 10:25-37
Bottom Line: Be kind to people who are different than you
Virtue: Kindness – Showing others they are valuable by how you treat them

We finish the month with a familiar parable found in Luke 10:25-37. A religious leader asked Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus used this story to completely change how people who follow Him should look at showing kindness to others. It’s not just for people we know or like, but for everyone we meet.

Everyone is deserving of our kindness, whether they’re like us or not. We hope kids learn from a young age that God’s love is for everyone. We can’t hold back kindness from others just because they might look or act different from us. Jesus modeled a love and kindness that included everyone. We should follow His example.