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:
John 13:1-17 NLT
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
Context: The above passage tells of a meal Jesus and His disciples were eating together, just before Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified. During the meal, Jesus humbled Himself and began to wash His disciples’ feet…their dirty, tanned feet. This puzzled the disciples…why would their Master take on the posture and performance of a lowly servant? Jesus told them plainly, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master…Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:15-17 NLT). Jesus modeled for His disciples how true humility leads to focusing on others, and then He called them to do the same. The implication stands for us as well: If Jesus, the KING of kings and LORD of lords lived a life of humility that focused on others, He will help us purpose our heart and reorient our actions to do the same.
DISCUSS This:
- What do you think Jesus means in verse 16 that slaves (or servants) are not greater than their master? (If their master is willing to do something, like wash feet, then they must be willing to do it, too. They need to follow His lead.) Who are we - the servants or the master? (We are the servants, and Jesus is our Master.)
- Reread verses 14 and 15. During the first week of humility, we learned that Jesus is our perfect example. What kind of example did Jesus set for us here as our Master? (He wanted to show us that none of us are too good to be humble. Since He is our Teacher and above us, we shouldn’t think that we are too good to do what He did. He focused on others, and He will help us do the same.)
- How did Jesus show humility by being others focused when He went to the cross? (He chose not to be proud of His perfection and instead focused on our great need for a Savior. He was willing to take our place even though He didn’t deserve to die and we didn’t deserve to be saved. He showed us His great love by humbly taking our punishment.)
DO This:
Plano Campus Prayer Walk: Prayer is one way we can show humility by focusing on others. So, we are challenging your family to a Prayer Walk. Sometime this week (Saturday, May 16 to noon on Friday, May 22), bring your whole family to the Watermark Plano campus for a Prayer Walk. We have stations set up outside the building with instructions and a guide for you to pray for others at Watermark Plano. You will start and finish outside the west entrance to the building by the Kids parking lot. Once you have completed the walk and the prayer guide card, be sure and fill out your contact info on the back and drop it in the box provided. On Friday afternoon, we will have a drawing for a special gift. So, put on your walking shoes and head on over to the Plano campus! NOTE: Our building is closed, so please remain outside while you are doing the prayer walk.
Looking for a different Kids Kit? Click here to go to the Dallas Preschool version of the Kids Kit and here to go to the Dallas Elementary version. Click here to go to the Fort Worth campus version of the Kids Kit.