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. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful.
Luke 6:35
Jesus tells us to be kind to everyone. Read this verse again and replace “love” with “be kind to.” “Be kind to your enemies.” This is not easy, but Jesus calls us to do it. But how? To be kind to our enemies, we must think about our hearts, our words, and our actions. Do we think before we react when someone is unkind to us?
What will we receive in return? The verse tells us that our Father will give to us but we are not to expect anything. It can be hard to react to someone who has been unkind if it does not benefit us. Only the Lord can work this into our hearts so that our responses are kind no matter what. We do not know how a kind act might change the circumstance, the other person, or even us! Imagine how kindness even in hard situations can change your community!
Encourage families to talk with their children about ways they can be kind to each other. The children can share what they have learned about what kindness is and how it can be shown through words or actions.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Welcome the children with a kind smile and ask them how their day is going. This will set the tone for today’s lesson on kindness.
One way to be kind is to show care for someone. Giving gifts can show that you care. Gifts can make others happy. When you give gifts, you are thinking about someone else.
Everyone look around our space at all the objects that have been scattered. In a moment, you will collect 2 objects that you could give to someone.
Point out a couple of objects you placed around your space that the children might gather.
Look around the teaching space and gather 2 objects. After you have 2 objects, please find a partner and sit near that person.
Allow the children 2 minutes to collect objects. Then, invite the children to sit with a partner. There can be a group of 3 if needed. Ask the children to answer the following questions with a partner. After the children have shared with their partners, ask 3 children to share their answers with the class.
You all found some very pretty objects! Now, think about the last question I asked you: “Who in this class could you give an object to?” Once you have thought of someone, raise your hand.
Pause until most of the children are raising their hands.
Okay, put your hands down. Now think about that person when you answer the next questions with your partners.
Allow the pairs 1 minute to answer each of the following questions.
In a moment, you will give 1 of your objects to someone in this class. As you give your gift, watch how the person who receives the gift responds. Does he smile, say something kind, or give you a gift in return? Ready? Go!
As the children give their gifts, look for children who have not yet received a gift from another child. Ask another child to give a gift to that child or give a gift to that child yourself. After about 2 minutes, stop the activity and ask the children to sit in a circle with you.
You all were very kind to give your gifts to others. Thank you for being so thoughtful! When you are kind to others, it makes them feel good.
Today we will learn about being kind even when it is difficult. Remember what we have learned that the Bible says are the most important things God wants us to do:
Read the verses directly from your Bible.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.” And here is the second one. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” There is no commandment more important than these.
Mark 12:30–31
You learned that your neighbour is anyone who is near you. You also learned that you can show love to your neighbour through kind actions. Sometimes, though, people can make it difficult to be kind to them.
Sometimes other people are mean or hurt you in some way. Maybe the person lies about you. Or maybe the person teases you. Or maybe the person hurts you physically. It can be hard to be kind in these situations.
Raise your hand if someone has ever been unkind to you.
Notice that all of us are raising our hands. We all have had someone be unkind to us. It is during these times that we must ask God to help us to be kind. It is natural to want to be unkind to someone who has hurt us.
Think about someone in your life who is unkind to you. This could be a friend, family member, or someone else who lives in your community. I want you to think about that person as you answer the following questions, but it is very important that you do not say this person’s name.
If you could only use 1 word to describe this person, what 1 word would you use?
If children struggle with this question, give them the following words as examples: sad, hurt, tired, mean, scared, or angry.
Say the following in a whisper.
Do you want to know a secret? Be very quiet so that you can hear. Sometimes unkind people do not treat others with love and kindness because no one has ever been loving or kind to them.
Use a soft regular speaking voice.
Think about the unkind person in your life. Maybe others are kind to this person, but maybe they are not. There are not any good reasons to be unkind to others. However, it can be very difficult to be kind to others if no one has been kind to you.
Listen to what God says about how we should respond even to those who are unkind to us and act like our enemies:
But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful.
Luke 6:35
If you think it is easy to be kind to unkind people, that is good. But, it is often difficult to be kind to those who are unkind to you. God is kind to us even when we are doing wrong things and are not thankful for what He gives us. If He is kind, then we can ask Him to help us be kind too.
Remember, you learned that it is important to be good neighbours to everyone. This includes the people who are unkind to you. God does not say that you should love only your kind neighbours as yourselves. He also does not say that you should love your neighbours as yourselves when it is easy for you to do. God wants you to love your neighbours as yourselves always.
So, how can we love the neighbours who are hard to love? First, we can ask God to show us how much He loves us and is kind to us when we do not deserve it. Second, we can ask Him to help us be kind and love others even when it is hard. Then we can choose to think kind thoughts and think before we act or talk with that person. The Bible says:
You are God’s chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don’t be proud. Be gentle and patient.
Colossians 3:12
Those who love God are special to Him. They are dearly loved by Him. God wants us to put on mercy and kindness like clothes. To show kindness to others, we must be patient and gentle.
What does it mean to put on mercy and kindness as if they were clothes?
Allow 3–4 children to respond.
When you put on clothes, it is almost as if they become part of you. When you put on mercy and kindness, they stay with you and become part of you. It is not always easy to be kind to others. When it is difficult to be kind to someone, you must stop and think about how to be kind. Let’s pretend that we are putting on kindness just as we would put on a piece of clothing.
Pretend to pick up a kindness shirt with me. This shirt will help you to be gentle and patient with others. Picture in your minds what colour this shirt is. Think about how it feels as you put it on.
Pretend to pick up a shirt and put it on. Encourage the children to follow your motions.
How does your kindness shirt feel?
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
My kindness shirt is soft, but it can also feel a little itchy at times. Remember, it is sometimes difficult to be kind to others. Listen as I read about situations that may make it difficult to be kind to someone. When you think of a way to be kind, pretend to put on another piece of clothing. I will then call on a couple of you to share how you could respond with kindness when it is difficult.
Pause after each statement and allow the children to pretend to put on a piece of clothing when they think of a way to respond in kindness. Then choose 1–2 children to share their ideas with the class. Continue through the statements.
When you put on “clothes” of kindness, you are thinking about ways to be kind. This is very helpful when you are dealing with people who are unkind to you. When you think about being kind before you act, your actions will be more kind. Remember that the first and most important thing to do is to pray to ask God to help you show kindness to others.
Let’s make a plan to practice being kind to others. In a moment, you will create a kindness plan for the week. You will list 3 ways you can show kindness to others this week. To help you create this plan, you will talk about your ideas with a partner. Find someone near you to be your partner.
Give the children 1 minute to find partners. Pair up any children you notice who do not have partners. Make a group of 3 children if needed.
You will make a plan of how to be kind to the adults in your life, to your brothers and sisters, and to your friends.
Let’s first decide how we can use kind words when speaking to others. For example, to show kindness through my words, I might ask my friend about her day. If she had a bad day, I might tell her a funny story to make her smile.
What can you say to show kindness this week?
Allow partners 2 minutes to discuss the question. Then, allow 3–4 children to share their answers.
There are many ways to use kind words when speaking to others. These are just a few examples. Speaking is not the only way to show kindness. You can also act in kind ways. For example, I might help my mother around the house.
What can you do to show kindness this week?
Allow partners 2 minutes to discuss the question. Then, allow 3–4 children to share their answers.
Now share with your partner the 3 ways you will be kind this week.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, give the children 5 minutes to draw their kindness plans on the pages.
Our memory verse today is:
Show the Memory Verse poster if you are using it.
The whole law is fulfilled by obeying this one command. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
Use the rhythm you created to say the words for this verse 3 times. If you used a familiar melody to sing this verse with students, sing it 3 times. You will use the same rhythm, and melody, for the next few lessons.
End class by praying this blessing, based on Colossians 3:12, over the children.
Blessing: May you put on kindness and wear it as you leave here. May you be gentle and kind to others. May you remember that you are dearly loved by God.
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.
