A few weeks ago, as I was asking God to show me how to teach my kids to be kind,
after I attended my daughter's Parent's Evening.
Our children (like us) were born with a sinful nature. So it’s not natural for them to choose kindness. Some children have a more angelic disposition than others, but for the most part, children need to learn and develop compassion as a deeply rooted attitude, not just a behaviour.
I have intentionally decided to teach my children to “act kind” instead of nurturing the soil in their hearts that will grow kindness.
After the parents' evening, I decided it was time to take the focus off their outward actions and begin cultivating a spirit of kindness within them. When we help our kids prepare good heart soil and plant seeds of self-worth, they will relate to others out of an overflow of service.
If you want to help your child/children understand what it means to be kind, focus on these…
3 Bible Stories That Teach Kids about Kindness
The Golden Rule
Scripture Reading: Luke 6:27-31
Bible Truth: Treat others how you want to be treated.
“Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” It’s a simple directive we should easily remember. And it makes perfect sense. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
Jesus gives this instruction amid his teaching to love our enemies. He’s telling us, “It doesn’t matter what someone else does to you. Love them. Be kind anyway.”
Our kindness cannot be based on the
actions or attitude of another.
When they come to us with friendship trouble, we always say to our children, “You cannot control what your friend does or says. You only have control over your words and actions. Choose kindness.”
But what does kindness look and sound like? Jesus tells us clearly in this passage…
Whatever it is you would want someone else to do or say in a situation . . . do or say just that.
Even though kindness isn’t all about our outward actions, it does come out in what we say and do. If we develop a spirit of compassion deep within our hearts, we will more easily choose to treat others the way we want to be treated.
The more we choose kindness, the more it will become our natural reaction.
Memory Verse: Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
The Good Samaritan
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:29-37
Bible Truth: Love your neighbour.
Jesus tells this story of the Good Samaritan to teach us what it means to love our neighbour.
One day a man was walking along the road and was suddenly robbed, beaten and left hurting. One man passed by and ignored him, and then another. Later, a Samaritan man came upon him and stopped to help. The Bible says the Samaritan man had compassion on him.
After telling this story, Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?”
The answer, of course, is the Good Samaritan. Jesus told this story to exemplify what it means to be kind to others, even those we don’t know who needs our help. The Samaritan had compassion for the hurting man, and maybe it was because he recognised it could have been him who had been robbed. Perhaps he was so thankful to be safe he just had to help. Whatever his motivation, the Samaritan man chose God’s way of kindness along the road that day.
When we recognise our blessings and our power to help others, we can reach out in kindness to be a good neighbors.
Memory Verse: Love your neighbour as yourself. (Luke 10:27)
The Popularity Principle
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:3-6
Bible Truth: Kindness is best!
Right before the viral verse, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. . .” is one that I believe is the key to kindness and growing a God reputation with friends and leaders in our lives.
The Bible says,” Never let loyalty and kindness leave you . . . then you will find favour, and you will earn a good (GOD) reputation.”
There’s nothing wrong with the desire to be liked. We all want to be known and loved. But when our desire to be popular causes us to make bad choices, it’s just not worth it. In this passage, we can see that God’s way of loyalty and kindness will bring about the right kind of popularity – the kind that leads to a good reputation among friends and leaders.
In verses 5 and 6, we read that trusting God will always lead us down the best path. When we’re confident in who God made us be, we can trust him with our lives.
Choosing kindness may not be “popular” now, but the Bible promises it will always lead to our best reputation and the best outcome.
Written by Ama Ghana @seekyefirstjesus
Ama Ghana is a Servant of God and the Founder/C.E.O of Seek Ye First Christian blog.
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