** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <August 28, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Fire! (Monday)

Read: James 3:3-10 

 

Meg watched in horror as fire swept through the wheat field. "We've lost the crop, haven't we, Mom?" she asked in a shaky voice.

 

Mom nodded. "I'm afraid so. The firefighters believe the fire started in a vacant field. They think some kids were playing with matches. One little match used carelessly can certainly cause a lot of damage."

 

"I'm just thankful we were able to keep the fire from spreading any more than it did--to other fields or to the buildings," Dad said.

 

Meg clenched her fists. "I hope the police find out who started it and punish them."

 

That evening, as Meg's family discussed the events of the day, her phone rang. It was her friend Hadley, and after Meg told her about the fire, the girls talked about a new girl in their class at school.

 

When Meg hung up, Mom looked at her thoughtfully. "The fire this afternoon was pretty destructive," said Mom, "but I'm afraid you may have started--or added to--a fire that could become even worse."

 

"What?" Meg was shocked. "What fire?"

 

"I heard you tell Hadley that a new girl at school cheated on a test," Mom replied.

 

"Well, she must have cheated to get such a good grade on our history test," Meg said. "Other kids said so too."

 

"You said very unkind things about a girl you don't even know. And you're not at all sure she cheated, are you?"

 

"Well, no," Meg said. "I guess not."

 

Mom nodded. "The book of James says our tongues are like a fire, Meg. Rumors spread quickly and can ruin reputations. Think of the damage your careless words can do. That's not how we show Jesus's love to others. He loves us so much He was willing to suffer the shame of death on a cross so we could be saved. Do you think He would spread rumors about people He died for?"

 

As Meg looked out the window at the charred wheat field, she remembered her anger over someone's careless actions. Their thoughtlessness caused a lot of damage and hurt my family, she thought. I don't want to do the same thing with my words.

 

"You're right, Mom," Meg said. "I need to call Hadley back and put this fire out."

 

-Brenda Decker

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Is your tongue like a fire? Are you aware of how much damage it can do when you use it carelessly? When you say unkind things or spread gossip and rumors, your words hurt other people. That’s not how God wants us to use our words as His children. Instead, trust Him to help you speak in a way that shows others the love of Jesus.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 19:14 (KJV)

Let the words of my mouth…be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord. (NKJV)

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < August 24, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Tuesday)

Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-7; Zephaniah 3:17 

 

"What's wrong, sis?" Hudson asked his little sister, Clara, as she stumbled in the front door.

 

Clara plopped down on the couch beside her brother. Leaning against him, Clara began to cry.

 

"Tell me what's going on," Hudson said as he put down his chemistry books and wrapped his arms around Clara.

 

She tried to catch her breath. "On the way home from the bus stop, I was walking with Nicole. We were almost to our street, but then this boy I don't know yelled at me."

 

"What did he say?" Hudson asked.

 

"He screamed out, ‘Hey--girl in the blue sweater. You're ugly!'" Clara buried her face in Hudson's chest as tears began leaking from her eyes.

 

"Oh, Clara," Hudson said. "I'm so sorry that happened. That boy was wrong."

 

After Clara had let her tears out, Hudson stood up. Then he walked Clara toward the mirror that hung on the living room wall. Pointing, Hudson asked, "See that?"

 

Clara shrugged.

 

"That girl looking back at you is a child of God," Hudson said. "You know that, right?"

 

Clara nodded.

 

"You've put your trust in Jesus to be your Savior and pay for your sins, right?" Hudson asked. "Well, that means you are a child of God!"

 

Hudson sounded so enthusiastic Clara couldn't help but smile.

 

"Wait! There's more!" Hudson grinned. "God created you in His image and then brought you into His kingdom when you put your faith in His Son. And you know what? People may focus on outside things, like clothes or fancy houses or jobs that seem big and important, but Jesus--who made our bodies and promises to raise everyone who knows Him from the dead someday--sees all of us, including our hearts. And you know what that means, right?"

 

"What?" Clara asked.

 

"It means Jesus looks at you and likes what He sees. He loves how He created your body, and when He looks at your heart, He rejoices that you know Him as your Savior."

 

Clara wiped the tears from her cheeks and then smiled at her reflection in the mirror. The boy's mean words still stung, but they seemed less important when Clara imagined God smiling over her.

 

-Allison Wilson Lee

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Did you know God created you and loves what He made? He loves us so much He came to earth to live among us, die, and rise again so that all who put their trust in Him will one day rise again too—free from sin and brokenness. God sees all of you, from your body to the deepest thoughts of your heart. Even when people say mean things to you, Jesus’s love for you never fails.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (NIV)

 

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < August 25, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Words to the Rescue! (Wednesday)

Read: Exodus 20:7; Matthew 1:21 

 

The sun was warm while the water was sparkling cold. It was the perfect afternoon at the community pool, and Isabella had her two best friends on either side of her.

 

Simultaneously, they cannonballed into the water. They came up from beneath the water gasping for air and giggling, their heads bobbing in the waves.

 

"Let's pretend we're in the ocean!" Payton said.

 

"Yeah! And our ship was destroyed in a storm," said Bryce. "Look! Let's swim over to that floaty as our raft."

 

Everyone enthusiastically agreed and began fake-crying, saying things like, "Oh no! We're stranded!" as they swam to the "raft."

 

Once everyone was on board, Captain Isabella spoke to the crew. "Now, we must all yell for help as loud as we possibly can!"

 

"Aye, aye, Captain!" shouted Payton and Bryce.

 

Isabella counted down. "Three, two, one--"

 

"HELP!" they all yelled. "Help! Help! Help!"

 

Suddenly, in a flash of red, a lifeguard lifted all three kids up onto the side of the pool before they knew what was happening. "What's wrong?" the lifeguard asked.

 

Dripping, Isabella explained. "I'm sorry if we scared you. We were just playing. We didn't mean it!"

 

"Ah," the lifeguard said. "You know, kids, some words are more powerful than others. Help is a word we only use when we're actually in danger. There could've been someone who needed rescue while I was busy with you. That's a scary thought." She sat back on her heels. "From now on, do you three promise to be careful with the word help?"

 

The kids nodded solemnly, and the lifeguard directed them back to the pool.

 

As they got back in the water, Isabella spoke. "This reminds me of what my abuela said about using God's name. She called it holy, which means it's very special. She said it's only to be used for things like giving God praise, talking to Him, or talking to others about Jesus and how He died to save us."

 

"You're right," said Payton. "Help is a special word, and God's name is the most special word of all."

 

-Danielle J. Brown

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Did you know that God’s name is a special word? We are saved from our sins when we call on the name of Jesus. It’s important that we use His name with care. As Christians, we have a special relationship with God that allows us to praise Him, talk with Him, and share the good news of His saving love with others. He is our King, so we must respect the power of the holy Name through which we’re saved.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Romans 10:13 (KJV)

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (NKJV)

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < August 26, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Lost Grades (Thursday)

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 

 

"Mom, guess what happened?" said Adriel as he rushed into the house after school. "Jasper and Weston think it's funny, but my teacher is so upset!"

 

"Why?" asked Mom. "What happened?"

 

Adriel reached for an apple. "Mrs. Cook's laptop died. It was working fine this morning, but then she left the room for a few minutes while we were outside for recess, and when she came back, it wouldn't turn on." Adriel took a bite of his apple. "I wonder if Jasper and Weston had something to do with it, though I don't know how they could have pulled it off."

 

"Why would Jasper and Weston want Mrs. Cook's computer to break down?" asked Mom.

 

"Because all our grades were saved on it!" said Adriel. "And now our grades might be lost. Jasper and Weston think it's funny that if Mrs. Cook's computer can't be fixed, they won't get report cards showing their bad grades."

 

"I think Mrs. Cook will manage to come up with grades one way or another," said Mom.

 

"Well, I hope she remembers I got an A on my last history test," Adriel said. "I worked really hard to get that A!"

 

"I know you did," said Mom. "But I can see how kids who didn't do well would like to have their grades canceled or forgotten." She gave Adriel a thoughtful look. "In fact, I know exactly what that feels like, and I think you do too!"

 

"Me?" asked Adriel. "I know I'm not a straight-A student, but I've always done pretty well in school."

 

"Yes, but none of us has lived a perfect life, have we?" said Mom. "The Bible says we're sinners because of the wrong things we've done. We've all failed to live up to God's perfect standard. But guess what? Even though we deserve a failing grade, Jesus lived a perfect life and then died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve so our sin could be canceled! When we trust in Him, He credits us with His goodness so we can enjoy the reward of eternal life with Him."

 

"Wow," said Adriel. "I didn't think of that. I'm so glad Jesus canceled my sin and gave me the good grade He earned instead!"

 

-Hazel W. Marett

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

How would you feel if you could have a bad grade replaced with a good grade? The Bible says you can! We’re all sinners who have failed to live the way we should, but Jesus died so our sin could be replaced with His goodness. You can’t earn a passing grade in the eyes of God on your own—you need Jesus’s perfect score. Trust in Him today, and your sin will be canceled. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (NLT)

 

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < August 27, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Leave Your Mark (Friday)

Read: John 13:33-35

 

"Okay, the last thing we need is a head of cabbage for dinner," Aiden's mom said.

 

Aiden walked over to the side of the produce section. "Hey, Mom, they have purple cabbage. Can we try it?" Mom nodded, so Aiden picked out a head of purple cabbage and added it to the cart.

 

As they waited in line to check out, Aiden smiled at a baby sitting in the seat of the cart in front of them, kicking his feet. The baby's mom was busy putting her groceries on the conveyor belt and didn't notice when the baby kicked his shoe off. Aiden picked up the discarded shoe. "Excuse me--your baby dropped this," he said, giving her the shoe.

 

"Oh! Thank you so much," the mom replied. "This is his only good pair of shoes!"

 

At home later that evening, Aiden watched as his mom spooned cooked purple cabbage into a bowl. "Mom, look! That cabbage turned the water you boiled it in purple."

 

"You're right--and it's even turning the bottom of the bowl purple," Mom said as she placed the bowl of cabbage on the table.

 

"That's kind of cool," Aiden said as he sat down. "The purple cabbage really leaves its mark. It shares its color with everything it comes in contact with."

 

Mom nodded. "Speaking of which, I'm very proud of the mark you left at the grocery store today when you picked up that baby's shoe and gave it to his mother."

 

Aiden looked confused. "How could that leave a mark? I barely did anything!"

 

"As Christians, we're called to leave our mark on others," said Mom. "Just like purple cabbage is known for its deep purple color, Christians are supposed to be known for their love. Our job is to display the love of Jesus to everyone we come in contact with--even in the smallest ways. You did that today by helping someone, even if it didn't seem like much." She smiled at Aiden. "It's your turn to ask the blessing tonight."

 

Aiden bowed his head. "Dear Jesus, thank You for this food and the purple cabbage we get to try tonight. Please help us leave Your mark of love on those around us. Amen."

 

-Melissa Yeagle

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

What kind of mark do you leave on others? Do your actions toward others reflect God’s love? Even the smallest kindness can leave a mark and show someone the love of Jesus. He showed us His love by dying for our sins, and as His children, we’re called to show love to others. You can do that by helping and caring for those around you—even in small ways. How can you leave a mark of love today?

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: John 13:35 (KJV)

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (NKJV)