Up! We Will Elevate (Week 4) Sample

Day Five—I Am a Good Listener Welcome to this devotional for kids!  Our 'UP' series is inspired by our 'We Will Elevate' DNA—We practise showing kindness to those around us and never leave anyone out. We value others the way God values us by being a good friend and listener, respecting our leaders and parents, and choosing to always see the good in others. During this series we want to truly grasp what it means to honour and elevate those around us—not just those who seem to be popular or are the most important in our lives—and to remember that God wants us to ‘take delight in honouring each other.’ That means everyone! Follow along as we truly grasp what it means to honour and elevate those around us! READ: A Hole in the Roof in any children's Bible or Matthew 9:1–8 These friends didn’t just trust their gut instinct, they trusted what God was telling them to do. In the same way, we can trust that God will show us and teach us how to be a good friend. ASK: Are there any parts of friendship that you find hard sometimes? Are there some people you find easier to show kindness to than others? Even though we might not get along with everyone, we can always ask God to help us show kindness to everyone. Did you know that God has a plan for every single one of your friendships? If you trust Him and go to Him first, He will always show you what to do and what to say. The Bible teaches us that when Jesus died and rose again, He left us a very special gift called the Holy Spirit, and when we accept Jesus into our hearts the Holy Spirit is our helper and guide—and this includes His helping you to navigate friendships! Take some time to pray today that He will help and guide you as you practice being a friend to others. Be ready to listen to His voice! REMEMBER: Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other. (Romans 12:10) SAY: Jesus, you show us how to be kind, No greater love will we find. Your deep love that gives us great value, Growing us as we learn more about you. Our friend, our saviour, our kind teacher, Helping us see the good in each other.