CBH Ministries - Keys for Kids

As Brandon dragged his snow shovel home, the cold air seemed to go right through to his bones. Shoveling Mrs. Walker's driveway and front walk had been a big job--especially since he'd had to do it alone. Brandon was glad to find that his mom had a cup of hot chocolate waiting for him when he got home. "Thanks," he said with a sigh as he slumped onto a kitchen chair. "Know what, Mom? I sometimes wonder if doing the right thing really pays. I mean . . . it just doesn't seem fair." Mom looked surprised. "What makes you say that?" she asked. "Well, Chad and I promised Mrs. Walker that we'd shovel her driveway after school today," Brandon explained, "but then Mr. Gordon offered to pay anyone who would come and help clear his long driveway. Chad went and did that instead! He broke his promise, and he even got paid for it!" "That doesn't seem fair," agreed Mom. "But . . . you know, Brandon, the Bible tells us not to envy those who seem to be rewarded for doing something wrong. God sees what's happening, and the day will come when He'll reward those who serve and obey Him." Dad, who had been listening from the living room, now came into the kitchen with a smile on his face. "I heard all that," he said, "and I'm very proud of what you did today, Son." "Thanks, Dad," mumbled Brandon, "but . . ." He looked at his father. "Do people you work with break their promises, too? And get paid for it?" "I'm sorry to say that I regularly encounter businessmen who seem to benefit by being dishonest or breaking promises," Dad replied. "Sometimes it doesn't seem fair to me, either, but when things seem unfair to us, it helps to remember that God is fair. We're accountable to Him, and like Mom said, one day we'll be rewarded for doing what is right." He patted Brandon's shoulder. "Try to keep that in mind." Brandon nodded. He began to feel better about the situation. "Okay," he said. "If the other guys tell me how much they made this afternoon, I'll try to remember that my pay is coming later." How About You? Does it seem like others benefit from doing what is wrong? Do you know kids who seem to get away with cheating? Stealing? Lying? They're not really getting away with anything. It may seem that way for a while, but God knows what's going on, and He says to trust in Him. Keep doing what you know is right. He will reward you for it. Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord, and do good. (Psalm 37:3) Today's Key Thought: Keep doing what is right

Anna dropped her book on the counter. "I'm going to take this back to the library and get something else to read," she said. "The stories in this book are just too wacky. I don't like what the people do in the one I just read. Idon't think anything like that could ever happen anyway." "What's it about?" asked Mom. "Is it supposed to be a true story?" Anna looked at the book. "Well, no, I guess not," she said. "The story is about a man who lived with his son Jeb. The man was old, and his hands shook. When he ate, he sometimes knocked things over, so Jeb's wife told Jeb to make a wooden bowl so his father wouldn't break the good dishes. Jeb did that, but his father still spilled food at the table. Jeb and his wife got tired of seeing that happen, so Jeb made his father take the wooden bowl and sit in the corner to eat. That still wasn't good enough. They got tired of cleaning the food corner, so they made him eat out of the kind of grain bin animals use." "Dear me!" exclaimed Mom. "That's dreadful!" "Yeah! But there's one part Iliked," Anna continued. "Jeb and his wife had a little boy, and one day they saw him whittling--hollowing out a log. Jeb asked him what he was doing. 'I'm making a trough so it will be ready for you when you're old and come to live with me,' said the boy." Anna paused a moment; then she grinned. "I like that Jeb and his wife would get what they deserve, but I still think it's a silly story. Those things would never happen." "Well, I certainly hope not!" exclaimed Mom. "Still . . . there's something we can learn from the story. It shows how wrong it is to not respect parents and grandparents. Many people don't do that." Anna nodded. "Cassie says she's sometimes embarrassed because of her grandma, who lives with them. She says her grandma talks real funny since she had a stroke, and her face is droopy on one side. But Cassie's mother says that doesn't matter at all." "Her mother is right," said Mom. "God's Word instructs children to honor their parents. It's something we should remember at all times and under all conditions." How About You? Do you honor your parents? That includes obeying them and speaking well of them. It includes helping them when they need assistance. Do you show respect to your grandparents? To all elderly people? Follow God's directions regarding this. Learn to show respect and loving care while you're young. Treat elderly people the way you'd like to be treated when you're old. Today's Key Verse: Honor your father and mother. (Ephesians 6:2) Today's Key Thought: Honor your parents

"Wow!" Brent's eyes were wide with amazement. His parents had just explained to him and his younger brother Sammy that the doctors had decided Grandpa should have a heart transplant as soon as a donor could be found. "It's amazing what doctors have learned to do," said Dad. "We must remember, though, that it's a dangerous operation and isn't always successful. Let's pray for Grandpa and trust the Lord for the outcome." "But wait a minute! What if Grandpa has the heart transplant and then dies anyway?" Sammy asked anxiously. "He wouldn't go to heaven." Everyone turned and looked at Sammy curiously. "Why do you say that?" asked Mom. "Of course Grandpa would go to heaven--he's a Christian." "Yeah. Grandpa loves Jesus," said Brent. "He said he learned to trust in Jesus when he was just a kid, remember?" "But my Sunday school teacher says we won't go to heaven unless we have Jesus in our hearts," replied Sammy, "so if Grandpa gets a different heart, he won't be a Christian anymore, will he?" "Didn't your teacher explain what she meant by having Jesus in your heart?" asked Dad. Sammy just shrugged. "Well," said Dad, "think of it like this, Sammy. You have a big place in my heart, but that doesn't mean you're actually inside my physical heart." Dad placed his hand on his chest. "You don't crawl around in the organ beating inside here. So what do you think it means when Isay you're in my heart?" "I don't know. I guess . . . I guess it means you love me a whole lot," suggested Sammy. Dad nodded. "Right. It's like that when we talk about having Jesus in our hearts. We don't mean our physical hearts then, either. We mean that we believe Jesus loves us, and we love Him, too. When we trust Him to forgive our sins, we say He comes into our hearts--not into our physical hearts, but into our lives. He's with us all the time, and we look to Him to direct us. So . . . no matter what physical heart is inside Grandpa's body, Grandpa loves Jesus and belongs to Him. Okay?" Sammy nodded. "Okay," he said. He smiled. "I feel better now." How About You? Do you have Jesus in your heart? In the Bible, the word heart often refers to your innermost being, the real you that goes on living even after the body dies. It's your soul--the part where your thoughts and feelings are--and it needs to be saved from sin. Have you asked Jesus to wash those sins away and take control of your life? If not, do so today. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the right.) Today's Key Verse: Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Ephesians 3:17) Today's Key Thought: Let Jesus live in you

"Anything interesting happen in class today?" asked Mom as Yolanda slid into the car and fastened her seat belt. "I got a seventy-three on my history test." Yolanda forced a smile. Mom glanced at her daughter. "That's kinda low for you. What happened?" Yolanda shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she said, "but it's not such a bad grade. Some kids got only forty on the test." "Really?" exclaimed Mom. "Was there a problem with the test? Did anybody do well? What was the highest score?" Yolanda didn't speak for a moment. "A hundred," she said finally. They rode in silence for a while. "I agree that if you compare your score with forty, it looks pretty good," said Mom at last, "but if you compare it with one hundred . . . well, seventy-three doesn't look so good then, does it?" "No, but I still don't think it's so bad," insisted Yolanda. "It could be worse." "If it's the best you can do, that's fine," said Mom, "but I don't think it is. When we get home, we'll look at the questions you got wrong." After a moment, she added, "You know, honey, maybe your history test can teach us an important lesson about living for the Lord." "What lesson would that be?" asked Yolanda. "Well, you thought seventy-three wasn't so bad when you compared it with forty, and it's easy for us to start thinking some wrong things we do aren't so bad when we compare ourselves with other people," explained Mom. "When we see them use bad language or steal or get into fights, or do other bad things we don't do, we might be tempted to think we're pretty good. But if we compare ourselves to Jesus, who obeyed the Father one hundred percent, we can see how much we really need God's help to live as He wants us to live." Yolanda was silent for a few minutes. Then she turned to look at her mother. "Okay, Mom," she said. "I'll try to remember to compare my actions to Jesus. I guess He would have gotten a hundred on the test." "I imagine so, but the point is that He would have done His best," said Mom with a smile, "and that's what you need to do, too." How About You? To whom do you compare your actions?Do you compare yourself with other kids--thinking, I'm not as bad as they are? Remember, all sin makes God sad . . . even those things people think of as little sins. God does not say, "Be as good as your friends or neighbors." He says to be like Jesus in all you do. To do that, you need to continually yield to God and trust Him to make you what you ought to be. Today's Key Verse: As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. (1 Peter 1:15) Today's Key Thought: Compare yourself to Jesus

"Guess what?" Tim jumped into the back seat of the car. "We have a new exchange student--all the way from China. His name is Ming." Mom smiled. "Sounds interesting," she said. "Did you get to talk with him?" Tim nodded. "He's a Buddhist, and he wanted to hear about my God, so I told him about Jesus. Ming thought that was cool." Tim frowned. "But I didn't know what to say about his religion. Would it have been okay to say it sounds cool, too?" "Do you think it sounds cool to worship other gods?" Mom asked. "Well, no," replied Tim, "but Ishouldn't criticize his religion, should I? My teacher always says we should be tolerant of other people's beliefs. She says that means we should accept and respect them. And wouldn't that be part of loving everyone, like the Bible says we should do?" Mom shook her head. "People think total tolerance sounds like a very loving thing, so they assume God would be all for it," she said, "but it isn't God's idea; it's the world's." At a traffic light, she pointed to a poster warning against taking drugs. "Consider drugs, for instance. Total tolerance would allow people to take any drugs they want. But love says no. Does that make sense?" "Sure," said Tim, "but that's because drugs can kill people--or make them into criminals." "Right," agreed Mom, "so love isn't tolerant regarding taking harmful drugs. Now . . . would God's love be tolerant of a way that leads to death--eternal death? Would He want you to encourage someone to stay on that path?" Tim shook his head. "No-o-o," he said slowly. "You're right when you say the Bible tells us to love everyone. Love is more important than tolerance--even when it means correcting someone," said Mom. "When tolerance means letting someone go on believing lies, we can lovingly point out what God says on the subject. We can respect people, but not tolerate ideas that conflict with the truth of God's Word--regarding alternate lifestyles, for example, and especially regarding the way to heaven. " "So I shouldn't laugh at Ming for believing what he does, but I should let him know I think it's wrong?" Tim asked. He nodded and added, "If Ming knows my God loves him, too, maybe he'll want to hear more." How About You? Do you know kids who believe something different from what the Bible says? Have they told you what they believe? Many people are very sincere in their religions. They may be kind, caring people. In fact, most religions believe in being a good person and doing good things. But God does not tolerate man-made religions--nor should you. Let those who believe in false religions know you disagree with them, and lovingly tell them about God and His great love for them. Today's Key Verse: Beloved, do not believe every spirit. (1 John 4:1) Today's Key Thought: Love is more important than tolerance

"Mom, may I have an advance on my allowance?" asked Lily one day. "An advance?" repeated Mom. "What do you need it for?" Lily took a deep breath. "I can't tell you," she said. "It's a secret." "The last time you asked for money and didn't want to tell me why," said Mom, "you had hit a softball through Mr. Grimes' window." "I haven't broken anything, Mom. Honest! Please trust me," pleaded Lily. "It's for a good reason, but I want to keep it between me and God." Mom looked at Lily thoughtfully. Then she asked how much Lily needed, got her purse, and gave Lily the money. "This is a large advance," said Mom. "Remember . . . it comes out of your allowance." Lily nodded and tried not to think about all the things she'd be giving up. Instead, she thought about her friend and classmate Susan. Their class was studying sea life, and the teacher had arranged for them to visit an aquarium in a nearby town. The school had no money to buy tickets for the students, and so the trip was not required. Those who wanted to go had to pay their own way. Permission slips and money had been coming in for several days, but not from Susan. Her dad had been laid off at the factory, and there was no extra money at Susan's house. The next morning, Lily arrived at school early. Her classroom was empty. Heart racing, she walked quickly to Susan's desk and slid an envelope containing the money into Susan's math book. Lily had written on the envelope, "Field trip. Don't guess who. Just get your parents' permission." Susan will find it soon, she thought. We always have math first thing in the morning. The bell rang, and Lily went quickly to her desk and kept one eye on the door. Susan soon came in with several other kids. She went to her desk and pulled out her math book. Finding Lily's envelope, she opened it. Her eyes grew big. Her mouth fell open. Lily giggled and turned her attention back to the math problem at hand. Please, God, she prayed, please don't let her ever find out it was me. How About You? Have you ever done something nice for someone--without telling anybody? This week ask God to show you someone who needs your help, and then give it in a way that only you and God will ever know who it was. It's the kind of giving God wants you to do. And guess what else? It's a lot of fun! Today's Key Verse: Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. (Matthew 6:1) Today's Key Thought: Give secretly

Dad reached for his Bible after dinner. "What song would you like to sing before I read?" he asked, looking up from the passage he had selected. Aaron spoke up quickly. "Let's sing 'What a Mighty God We Serve,'" he suggested. "We've been singing that in Sunday school." He looked at his little brother, who was eating chocolate pudding. "Better put your spoon down, Tory," added Aaron. "You can't sing while you eat." Tory put his spoon on the table, but when the others began to sing, he did not join in. At the end of the song, Dad looked over at his younger son. "You usually like to sing, Tory, but you weren't singing tonight," said Dad. Tory shook his head. "I can't sing with a dirty mouth," he said solemnly. Dad smiled as he reached for a napkin and began to wipe pudding from Tory's face. "I think you just taught us a lesson," Dad said. "Your mouth was dirty from the pudding, Tory, and you wanted it to be clean before you sang. Our mouths can sometimes be dirty from something much worse. Who knows what that might be?" "Well . . . one of the guys on the baseball team said a bunch of bad words when he struck out," Aaron said. "I heard some of the girls say he had a dirty mouth. Is that what you mean?" "Yes, that type of thing," replied Dad. Mom nodded. "It's often our mouths that get us into trouble," she said quietly. "It seems to be easy to say things that hurt someone, and we all tend to brag now and then, too. That's not good, either. We should all be sure our mouths and hearts are clean when we pray and praise God." "So . . ." Aaron began thoughtfully. He paused, then summed up the lesson they had just discussed. "I guess," he said, grinning at Tory, "it would be okay for you to sing with pudding on your mouth as long as your heart is clean!" "That's the important thing," Dad agreed. "Before we offer prayers or praises to a God who is holy, let's ask Him to cleanse us from any sin we have committed." "Okay. My mouth is clean now, so can we sing our song again?" Tory asked. "Sure," said Dad. "Let's pray first and then sing with clean mouths and hearts." How About You? Do you always pray and sing with a clean mouth? Be sure to seek forgiveness each time your heart becomes smudged by wrong speech. Don't allow the sins of anger, criticism, gossip, or boasting stain your lips. Confess your sin to the Lord and with His help, don't repeat it. Then you can pray and sing His praises with a clean mouth. Today's Key Verse: Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3) Today's Key Thought: Guard your speech

Phil looked up from his puzzle as his mother walked into the house with two bags of groceries. "Hi, honey," she said. "There are two more bags of groceries in the car. Will you get them for me? And please pick up the other stuff I spilled, too, okay? When I grabbed my purse along with these bags, it was upside down, and some things fell out." "Okay, Mom." Phil nodded and hurried out to the garage. He took the bags of groceries into the house and then went back to get the things that had spilled from Mom's purse. Along with several other items, he found four one-dollar bills. Phil looked at them thoughtfully. Then he put one of the bills in his pocket. "Here's your stuff, Mom," Phil said when he returned to the house.He handed her the three dollars along with all the other items. "Thanks, Phil," said Mom. "Now I'd like you to take the flyswatter and get rid of these flies." She frowned. "Where do they come from?" Phil got the swatter. "Gotcha!" he exclaimed after a moment. Then he saw a fly sunning itself on a window sill. "Mom, come see this fly," he called. "It looks like it's cleaning its face--just like our cat does." "It does look that way," agreed Mom. "I saw a nature show about flies the other day. It was pretty interesting. Did you know that flies' legs have brushes that they use to clean their eyes?" "Oh, yuck!" Phil made a face. "The report described their eyes, too," continued Mom. "They're amazing! It said flies have about 4000 simple eyes in each large eye." "Wow!" exclaimed Phil. "That's weird." "When I heard that, it made me think of a verse from one of the Psalms," said Mom. "David wrote, 'He who formed the eye, shall He not see?'" As Phil put his hand into his pocket, he felt the dollar bill he had kept. God sees this, too, he thought. I better give it back--but if I give it back now, Mom will know I was going to keep it. I'll leave and come back and pretend I just found it. He started toward the door, then stopped. But . . . God would see that, too. With a sigh, Phil pulled out the bill. "I . . . I was going to keep this," he confessed, "but . . . here it is, and . . . well, I'm sorry." How About You? Have you ever done something wrong when no one was around? Were you relieved when you didn't get caught? Sometimes you can do something sinful and nobody will even know. But God knows everything you have ever done--He knows your heart. He loves you and wants you to obey Him out of your love and respect for Him and His Word. When you think no one is watching you, do what is right. It's just as important then as at any other time. Today's Key Verse: He who formed the eye, shall He not see? (Psalm 94:9) Today's Key Thought: God sees everything

"Dad! I think you've got a bite!" Blake pointed excitedly to the bright yellow bobber on his father's fishing line. It was madly dancing up and down. "Oh, you're right!" exclaimed Dad. He quickly raised his pole and reeled in a fish. The boat bobbed gently in the breeze as he took the fish off the hook and put it into the bucket of water. "You almost lost him, Dad," Blake said. "Guess you were daydreaming, huh? Thinking about our vacation next week? Iknow Ikeep thinking about it!" Dad shook his head. "I wasn't exactly daydreaming," he said. "I was thinking about a Bible verse I memorized this morning. I don't want to forget it." "I thought only us kids had to learn Bible verses," said Blake in surprise. "I didn't think grown ups had to memorize them anymore." Dad smiled. "Would you be surprised to know Iused to think the same thing? I thought once Igraduated from school, I'd never have to study and learn anything again. But it's amazing how much fun learning actually becomes as you get older." "Really?" Blake could hardly believe it. "Yes, for me anyway," said Dad. "And it's a good idea for all of us to keep memorizing verses. Knowing God's Word by heart lets you think about it when your hands are busy--like right now, while we're out here fishing in the boat." "I guess it would be kinda hard to hold a fishing pole and read the Bible at the same time," said Blake with a grin. Dad laughed. "That's right," he agreed. "Another thing I like about memorizing Bible verses is that when bad thoughts or temptations come, a verse you've learned will often pop into your mind. Bible verses give you something good to think about and help you not give in to temptation to do wrong things." Blake was thoughtful. "Iguess there's lots more to memorizing Bible verses than just winning contests in Sunday school, isn't there?" "Definitely," agreed Dad. "Learn the verses assigned to you in Sunday school, camp, or Bible club--and keep reviewing them. You can never learn too many, and you'll find they comfort and encourage you as they come to your mind over and over." How About You? What do you understand best--something you know by heart or something you've read once or twice? If you memorize Bible verses and have God's Word in your head, it will also go deeper and deeper into your heart and life. It will be there when you need it. It takes time and work to memorize, but having God's Word in your heart is well worth any effort it takes to put it there. Today's Key Verse: Your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8) Today's Key Thought: Memorize Bible verses

Megan shrugged when she missed her basketball shot. "Oh, well. Nobody's perfect!" she said with a laugh, and the other girls laughed with her. "Nobody's perfect" had become a phrase Megan used often, and her friends almost knew ahead of time when they would hear it again. One day Megan went with her friend Amie to Bible Club. "That was interesting,"said Megan as she and Amie walked home afterward, "but I sure don't agree with everything Mrs. Gates said. According to her, no matter how good you are, you're not good enough for heaven. I don't believe that!" "It's what the Bible says," replied Amie. "The Bible says everyone does wrong things--everyone's a sinner. But Jesus took the punishment for our sins, and the only way you can get into heaven is by trusting in Him as your Savior." "Well, Mrs. Gates makes it sound like everybody's such a terrible sinner, and that's silly!" insisted Megan. "I've never done anything really bad! I've never even cheated on a test or stolen anything from a store or . . . " "I know," interrupted Amie, "but you have done things that are wrong--even when you knew better. Remember the time you and I sneaked . . ." Megan laughed. "Okay, okay," she said, "but even that wasn't so bad. And what about people like my Uncle Bob? He's always helping others. He gives lots of money to places like the cancer society and the city mission--even the church. And last year when his neighbor's house was on fire, he rushed in himself to get the baby out. He could have been killed! Besides, he always . . ." Suddenly she stopped. "Oh, I'm so busy talking that I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing! We just passed my street, and I forgot to turn." Megan laughed at herself. "How dumb can I be?" she added. "Oh, well! Nobody's perfect!" "No, and that's what God says, too. He says we're not perfect--we've all sinned," replied Amie. "Even though what you've done isn't so bad--according to you anyway--no sin can enter heaven. So no matter how many good things you--or your uncle--do, you still have to get rid of your sin. Only Jesus can take it away." Megan was thoughtful as she turned and headed down her street. "Ihave to get home," she said, "but let's talk about this more later, okay?" Gladly, Amie nodded. How About You? Are you fit for heaven? No lying, disobedience, cheating, gossip--nor any other sin--can enter heaven. Did you read today's Scripture? One person described in those verses did many good deeds; the other asked for God's mercy. Jesus said the one who asked for mercy was saved--not the one who thought he was good enough because of the good things he did. Which are you like? Admit your sin and ask Jesus to forgive and save you. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the right.) Today's Key Verse: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Today's Key Thought: Sin cannot enter heaven

Jordan chewed his fingernail. He hated writing stories; nothing worthwhile ever came from his pencil. But the assignment was to write a true story about a pet and be prepared to read it to the class. The only pet Jordan ever owned was Sherwin, a boring goldfish. Goldfish don't do tricks or play fetch, he thought, so what is there to say? The hot, stuffy classroom seemed unbearable, and Jordan let out a windy sigh. Guess I'll have to make up a story, he decided. How about a pet alligator? Picturing his classmates' envious looks when he read his alligator story, he scrawled ALLIGATOR on the top of his paper and stared at it, chewing another fingernail. But even alligators couldn't jolt his imagination. He squirmed in his seat, then got up and sharpened his pencil. As Jordan lifted his pencil to try again, some words seemed to float across his paper. ". . . putting away lying, let each of you speak truth with his neighbor." Jordan blinked. Those words hadn't actually been on his paper; they were a Bible verse he had memorized. Jordan sighed. Could God be telling him his alligator story would be a lie? Jordan stared at his title then turned his pencil upside down to erase ALLIGATOR and replace it with GOLDFISH. I'll write a true story even if the guys laugh, he decided. This time the words flowed. Jordan told how he won the goldfish at the fair and named it Sherwin. He told how he took care of his fish and how bad he felt when Sherwin died. Then he wrote his name at the top of the page and sighed, this time in relief. Maybe my story sounds dumb, but it's true, he thought. And when Mr. Wright called on him, Jordan stood tall as he read the story aloud. After class, Freddie fell in step beside Jordan. "I had a kitten once," Freddie said. "Named her Midnight." Freddie stared at his feet. "A car hit her--she died." "That's terrible," Jordan said. "I cried," Freddie admitted. "Was it hard to tell your story about Sherwin?" Jordan nodded, then grinned. "Yeah . . . partly because most kids wouldn't think a goldfish was much of a pet. But it was worth it; true goldfish stories are better than alligator lies." How About You? Are you ever tempted to lie so others will admire you? Are you tempted to try to get out of an unpleasant situation by not telling the truth? Today's Scripture reading is an account of severe and immediate results of lying. Even when the consequences of lying seem less severe, lies still hurt you and destroy the trust others have in you. How can they be sure you are telling the truth if you lied in the past? Truth--in words and action--is always the best way to go. It's what God wants of you. Today's Key Verse: Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor. (Ephesians 4:25) Today's Key Thought: Tell the truth

Chloe walked into the house more briskly than usual. "I've had it with her," she said, pulling up a kitchen chair and plunking herself down. "You've had it with who?" asked Mom. "Jolene--that's who." Restlessly, Chloe pushed the chair back and fiddled with a strand of her hair. She bit her lower lip before starting to explain. "Do you remember what I gave her for her birthday?" Mom nodded. "You gave her a year's subscription to the same Christian teen magazine that you get. As I recall, you wanted to give her the subscription because she liked yours and you hoped it would be a witness to her--that maybe it would help her come to know Jesus." "That's right," Chloe replied gruffly, still sounding angry. "She read my magazine whenever she was here, so I spent my own hard-earned babysitting money to get it for her. Well, I overheard her telling some girls that I was pushing religion on her. She said she hasn't read either of the two issues that she's gotten so far!" "I'm sorry," said Mom sympathetically. "Let's be sure to pray for her." "But she's making me sound really bad to the other girls!" Chloe complained. "I've always been a good friend to her, and then she turns around and talks about me like that!" "Honey," said Mom, "it's too bad she reacted that way, but you gave her that subscription because you knew she needed the Lord. She still needs Him, doesn't she?" "Well . . . yes," mumbled Chloe. "Don't forget, Jolene has had only two issues," said Mom. "There will be ten more months of witness coming to her house. Let's pray that she'll read those." Mom paused, waiting for Chloe to comment, but she said nothing. "You know, honey, it's possible that Jolene's reaction to your gift is partly because she sees her need," added Mom. "You've planted the seed, but it's God who must work in her heart. Let's ask Him to do that." "Well . . . okay," agreed Chloe after a minute. "I will." How About You? When you witnessed, did someone react in anger? How did you respond?Don't get discouraged or be angry in return. Instead, continue to show love and friendship to the one who needs the Lord. The Apostle Paul compared witnessing to planting seed. It's your job to plant the seed of the Gospel. God asks you to be faithful in witnessing, but that's all you can do. God is the one who gives "the increase," making the seed grow and working in hearts to bring people to Himself. Today's Key Verse: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6) Today's Key Thought: Be a faithful witness

I like being on our youth group planning committee, thought Shelly as the members shared ideas for making their meetings more interesting. But she frowned when Cole offered his suggestion. "How about planning a missions program that reaches out to kids in our community?" he asked. "And let's give everyone in the youth group something to do. You know--get everyone involved." Mr. Gray, the youth leader, liked the idea. "That sounds good," he said, "and it will fit in nicely with the Bible study I'm planning for the next several weeks." "But some of the kids never want to do anything," objected Shelly. "I don't see how we can we get them involved if they're not really interested, so what would we do about them? Or doesn't it matter? Do we really need them?" "Nah."Zoe, another committee member, shook her head. Cole disagreed. "We want them all to have a part," he insisted. "Let's think about that, kids," said Mr. Gray. "Let me ask you something." He turned to Shelly. "You broke your thumb a few days ago. Does it matter?" he asked. "How important is your thumb?" "My thumb?" asked Shelly in surprise. She laughed as she looked down at her bandaged thumb. "I didn't think I used it much . . . until I couldn't use it at all," she said. "Now that it's broken, I see how much I really need it. It's way more important than Iever knew!" "Yes, I thought it might be." Mr. Gray smiled. "And God says that's exactly how it is with the body of believers. All who believe in Jesus are referred to as the Body of Christ, and every single member is important--just like every part of our physical bodies is important. Each person has a job to do for the Body of Christ to function properly." "That makes sense," said Shelly, "but . . ." She frowned. "I still don't see how we'll get kids to help if they don't want to." She looked at her thumb again. "Or do you think they will want to if we show them that we need them?" Cole nodded. "Yeah, and I think we should be careful to not complain about anything we're assigned to do, but act like we're enjoying it ourselves," he said. Zoe grinned. "That part should be easy. I think we will enjoy it," she said. "Good," Mr. Gray approved. "Let's put those ideas into action." How About You? Do you think you're not really needed or able to serve God? If so, you're wrong. Things you can do may seem small to you, but showing God's love by helping others is an important way to serve Him. Can you mow a lawn, rake leaves, shovel snow, or run errands for someone? Can you spend a little time talking with a kid who needs a friend? Can you make a card to encourage a relative, friend, or neighbor? Think of something you can do, and then do it today. You are important in God's family. Today's Key Verse: You are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Today's Key Thought: You are important

"Mom, that sign is still there!" Joelle pressed her nose against the car window as they drove past a neighbor's yard. The big sign said, "Free Kittens," and Joelle persistently pleaded with her mother to let her have one. "Well, Dad and I talked about it," said Mom. "We decided it would be okay." Joelle squealed with joy, and as soon as they got back home, they went to the neighbors' house to choose a kitten. Joelle picked the smallest one. "I named him Runt," she said happily when she showed the kitten to her brother Camden. "Good name for him," Camden agreed. A couple weeks later, Mom and Joelle took Runt for his first visit to the veterinarian. "Runt's a bit scrawny," observed the vet. "What do you feed him?" "Milk," said Joelle, "and leftovers." Mom nodded. "Most of what he gets is leftover scraps from our meals." "That may be the problem," said the vet. "Your leftovers probably don't have the right nutrients to help Runt grow properly. Try feeding him food made especially for kittens, and Ithink he'll start to fill out nicely." On the way home, Joelle and Mom stopped to buy the special food the veterinarian had suggested for the kitten. "From now on Runt gets only good, healthy food that's made just for kittens," Joelle told her brother that evening. Camden grinned. "Well, I'm glad I'm not Runt," he said. "I like junk food." Overhearing the conversation, Dad smiled. "No more leftovers for Runt?" he asked. "Iknow someone else who shouldn't get leftovers. Who do you think that might be?" "Ah . . . is it you?" asked Joelle in surprise. "You always say you like them." Dad laughed. "I do," he said, "but I was thinking that we sometimes give God our leftovers. Instead of giving leftover time or love or effort to God, we should give Him our best in whatever we do." "Oh-h-h, I think I get it," replied Joelle. "That's why you say we should put part of our allowance in the church offering, right? And to help with service projects our class does." She grinned. "But I'm glad you like leftovers, Dad," she added. "I think that's what we're having for supper." How About You? Do you give God your best? Do you give to Him first? Before spending anything on yourself, do you set aside for Him a portion of your money? Or do you first buy what you want? Do you spend time with Him only if there's a little left at the end of the day? Do you offer leftover energy to help someone else only after you've already done the things you enjoy?God told His people to bring their "firstfruits" to Him--to give to Him first. That's what He wants from you, too. Today's Key Verse: The firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. (Exodus 23:19) Today's Key Thought: Give your best to God

David gathered up his dirty clothes. He put them into a basket and carried it downstairs to the laundry room where his mother was putting detergent into the washer. "My baseball uniform is in here, Mom," he said. "It got pretty dirty when I slid into home plate." David laughed and added, "But it was worth it! We won! Now I'll need it for the game tomorrow." Mom smiled. "No problem," she said. "It will be ready for you." After the game the next day, David got into the car with a scowl and slammed the door hard. "Whoa, David! What's wrong?" asked Mom. "Dad said he'd come see me play this time," muttered David as he threw his mitt onto the floorboard. "He promised, but he wasn't here!" "I'm sorry, honey," said Mom. "Something must have come up." "Yeah, that's what he always says," grumbled David, "but Dad's missed every game since you got divorced. It's just not fair! I'll never forgive him!" Mom sighed. "I know it's hard," she said, "but when Jesus was asked how often we should forgive someone, He said 'seventy times seven.' That's a lot of forgiving." "I'm sure I've forgiven Dad that many times already!" said David grumpily. "I'm done!" "You know that verse isn't really talking about a specific number, don't you?" Mom asked. "It means we should forgive every time someone makes us angry or hurts our feelings." After a quiet moment Mom continued. "It's like . . . well, like your uniform. I washed it just yesterday, and now you've gotten it dirty again." "I always get it dirty when I play," mumbled David. "What does that have to do with Dad?" "Every time it gets dirty, I wash it--even though I know you're going to get it dirty again, right?" asked Mom. "I wash it whenever it needs to be washed. That's the way we have to forgive, too." David sighed. "So you're saying I have to keep forgiving Dad even though what he did hurts and I know it will happen again?" he asked. Mom nodded. "It's never easy," she said, "but God blesses and comforts when we honor Him by obeying His commands and forgiving as He does." How About You? Have you found it hard to forgive someone? That's natural. Forgiving others isn't easy, especially if they repeat the action that hurt you. But Jesus wants you to do it anyway. As today's Key Verse says, you should forgive as Jesus does. When you remember how often you do something wrong and are forgiven by Him, it makes it a little easier to forgive those who hurt you. Ask God for the desire and strength to obey His command about forgiveness. Today's Key Verse: Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. (Colossians 3:13) Today's Key Thought: Develop a forgiving spirit