Our elementary curriculum builds on the biblical foundation laid for kids in preschool. We want them to see the excellent character of our all-powerful God and why He is the hero of every story. We do that by looking at 36 godly character traits – one per month – with weekly Finish Lines that teach kids about God, His Word, and how He can help us reflect His character to the world. Our character trait for May is HUMILITY.
HUMILITY Definition: Having a right view of who God is, who I am, and who you are
THIS MONTH'S Memory Verse: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out
only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
Philippians 2:3-4
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WATCH This:
READ This:
Luke 18:9-14 NLT
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Context: In the presence of those who “had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else,” Jesus tells a parable of two men going up to the temple to pray. One of the men, a Pharisee, actually thanks God that he is not a sinner, and boasts about a bunch of other “righteous” deeds he’s done. The other, a despised tax collector, acknowledges his sin and asks God for mercy. Upon first glance, the self-centered prayer of the Pharisee seems ridiculous, yet how often are we just like the Pharisee and those in Jesus’ original audience? We can be quick to judge others from a prideful heart and slow to humbly admit our need for God’s mercy. A humble heart, with a right view of God’s holiness and man’s sin, is more pleasing to God than a laundry list of good deeds done from a heart void of humility and puffed up with pride.
DISCUSS This:
- What clues in the above passage tell you that the Pharisee is prideful and does NOT have the right view of himself and of God? (He doesn’t think he is a sinner. He thinks he is good enough to be righteous on his own and doesn’t need God.)
- What clues tell you the tax collector is humble and DOES have the right view of God and of himself? (He confesses his sin and knows that God is the only one who can forgive him.)
- What does it mean to be “justified” before God? (Being declared righteous by God.) Who does Jesus say goes home justified? (The tax collector.) Why? (He had the right view of God and of himself. He knew he was a sinner and could never be perfect enough to be righteous. He knew God was the only one righteous and the only one who could give him the mercy he needed.)
DO This:
Scripture Memory Relay Race: Part of responding rightly to sin is turning to God to do what is right when we are tempted to sin. One of the ways we can do that is by memorizing God’s Word so we can remind ourselves of what is true. It is important to know God’s Word and have the humility to obey His way and not our own.
To learn God's Word this week, do a family Scripture relay race! Write each word of the memory verse for this month on a post-it note and stick them on the other side of the room or yard. Make sure the words are mixed up and not in order. Have one person in the family run and pick up the first word of the memory verse and bring it back to the group. When they make it back, the next person runs and picks up the next word. Do this until you have all of the words. How fast can you put the memory verse together as a family?
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