During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:35
Let your children’s families know that this week the children will learn about being kind when it is hard. Encourage them to ask their children to tell them the story of the Good Samaritan. They can take turns thinking of a kind thing they can do for someone this week.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
As the children arrive, ask them to share things they did to fill someone’s kindness basket during the past week.
Think about a time when someone was kind to you. Today we will share those stories. Remembering how others have been kind to us can help us to remember to be kind to others.
Divide the children into groups of 4–5. The children will take turns sharing stories about times when others were kind to them. After about 5 minutes, gather all the children for the lesson.
The last few weeks we have learned about being kind with our words and our actions. Today we will hear a story Jesus told about a man who showed kindness when it was hard.
Optional: If possible, share the images from The Action Bible.
Today we will hear a story Jesus told about a Samaritan man. The Samaritans were related to the Jewish people but were not 100% Jewish. They did not worship the One True God the way God wanted them to. For these and other reasons, Jews looked down on Samaritans and hated them.
One day, an expert in the Jewish law came to Jesus with a question. This man knew that God’s Word said that people should love God and love their neighbours as they loved themselves. He asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus answered his question with this story.
A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes, beat him, and left him lying half dead beside the road. A priest, a temple assistant, and a Samaritan were also traveling along this same road. Each of them saw the injured man lying on the side of the road.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a [temple assistant], when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
Luke 10:31–33
The Samaritan went to the injured man, put ointment on his wounds, and bandaged them. Then the Samaritan put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn and cared for him. The Samaritan even gave money to the innkeeper so the man would still be cared for while the Samaritan continued on his journey.
List all the ways the Samaritan showed kindness to the injured man.
Allow each child to share only 1 way. Be sure that all of these ways of showing kindness are mentioned: The Samaritan had compassion on the injured man. He bandaged the man’s injuries. He put the man on his donkey and took him to an inn. He spent his own money to take care of the man. He interrupted his journey to care for a stranger.
Optional: If you are using The Action Bible the children can review the story on pages 595–597.
When Jesus finished telling this story, He asked the expert in the law which of the 3 men was a neighbour to the injured man.
How would you answer Jesus’ question?
Yes! The Samaritan was a true neighbour. He showed kindness while the others did not. Remember that most Jews hated Samaritans. Yet the Samaritan man in the story chose to show kindness and compassion to the injured man, who may very well have hated him.
Sometimes it is hard to be kind. People may be mean to you or treat you unfairly. They may lie to you or cheat you. You may think these people do not deserve your kindness. Yet God was kind to us when we did not deserve it. And He wants you to show kindness in your words and actions, even when it is hard. Listen to what Jesus said about showing kindness.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:35
Who does this verse say we should be kind to?
Let’s practice thinking about ways we can show kindness in hard situations, including those in which people are unkind to us.
Divide your class into 3 groups. Each group will be given a situation to discuss. They will come up with ideas of how to be kind with their words and actions in their situations.
Give each group about 3 minutes to think of their ideas. Ask each group to share their ideas.
God is kind, and He wants to help you clothe yourself in His kindness. He wants you be kind in your words and actions. Everyone, Christian or non-Christian, is created in God’s image and can show kindness.
Showing kindness in situations like the ones we just talked about is very hard. The good news is that you do not have to do this on your own. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives in you. He will strengthen you and help you show kindness. Listen to this verse we heard a few weeks ago about clothing yourself with kindness.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
Think of a situation in your life where it is hard to show kindness to a particular person. It could be that he is mean to you. It could be that she always tells lies about you.
Pause while the children think of someone.
The Bible verse tells us to clothe ourselves with kindness. Let’s pretend that we are putting on kindness just as we would put on a piece of clothing.
Show the children what you want to them to do by pretending to put on a piece of clothing.
Now think of the situation where it is hard to show kindness to someone. As you think of this person, pretend that you are putting on your “kindness clothing.” If you are a Christian, you can ask the Holy Spirit to help you show kindness to this person, even when it is hard. If you are not a Christian, think about how you can show kindness.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, there is space for children to draw themselves being kind in hard situations.
Close class by speaking this blessing from Luke 6:35 over the children.
Blessing: God loves you so much that He chose to show you kindness when you did not deserve it. May He be your source of kindness when it is hard to be kind on your own. May He help you learn to give kindness even to those who are your enemies.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
