Week: Kindness
Each day we will simply pray (P.R.A.Y.) together.
P: PAUSING to be still.
R: REJOICING with a Memory Verse and REFLECTING on some verses from the Bible.
A: ASKING God to help us and others.
Y: saying YES to God’s ways.
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
Holy Spirit, You help us grow, each and every day, into who God made us to be. We’re ready to be changed a little bit more by You today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Jackson J
Proverbs 16: 24
Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on a very famous story that Jesus told about a man who went out of his way to be kind to someone in need.
Read by Jackson J
Luke 10:30-34
[Jesus said] ‘As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, some robbers attacked him. They tore off his clothes, beat him, and left him lying there, almost dead. It happened that a priest was going down that road. When he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Next, a Levite came there, and after he went over and looked at the man, he walked by on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan traveling down the road came to where the hurt man was. When he saw the man, he felt very sorry for him. The Samaritan went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them. Then he put the hurt man on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he cared for him.’
Luke 10:30-34 (NCV)
In Jesus’ story, the robbers attacked the man and stole his clothes. And then the priest and the Levite avoided the injured man by walking past on the other side of the road.
The robbers were unkind because they did something bad. The priest and the Levite were unkind because they didn’t do something good. Only one person took the time to show kindness to the man. And the Samaritan wasn’t just a little bit kind, he was extremely kind.
In Jesus’ story, it was someone unexpected – a Samaritan – who was kind to the injured man. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When has someone been kind to us?
We probably won’t get to help an injured person this week, but there may be other opportunities for us to be kind and do something good.
Holy Spirit, we ASK You to help us stay alert for opportunities to be kind this week – at home, at school or somewhere else. And give us the courage to actually do good, instead of ‘walking past’ like the priest and the Levite did.
And God of Love, we also pray for those, like the man in Jesus’ story, who are suffering today because someone has been unkind to them. Maybe someone has stolen something from them or hurt them in some way. We ASK You to comfort them, strengthen them and help them. And bring people to them who can show them kindness.
As we read the Bible again, let’s listen for a word or a phrase that the Holy Spirit might want to say to us from today’s verses.
Luke 10:30-34
[Jesus said] ‘As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, some robbers attacked him. They tore off his clothes, beat him, and left him lying there, almost dead. It happened that a priest was going down that road. When he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Next, a Levite came there, and after he went over and looked at the man, he walked by on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan traveling down the road came to where the hurt man was. When he saw the man, he felt very sorry for him. The Samaritan went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them. Then he put the hurt man on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he cared for him.’
Luke 10:30-34 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, we say YES to the good fruit that You are growing in our lives. We say YES to being kind to those in need, like the Good Samaritan. Thank You that You always give us what we need when we reach out to others.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Proverbs 16: 24
Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16: 24 (NLT)
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
Joy lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, daughter and her dog. She works for Bridgetown Church where she leads kids as they grow, learn, and have lots of fun. Joy loves gardening, summer camp, eating ice cream, and reading her favourite books, The Chronicles of Narnia.
Jackson lives in Chichester, on the south coast of England, with his parents and his sister. He loves Pokemon (who doesn’t?), music and having fun with his friends.
