Just Do It! (Family Devotion)

Downloadable Now!A CMT Exclusive!

Share This With the World!

Suggested Scripture:
Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Activity:

Grab some trash bags, gloves, rakes, or whatever tools you will need. Take the family to the house of a nearby elderly neighbor’s , or of a shut-in’s from your church. Do the lawn work and /or minor fix-up. (Optional activity: clean a stretch of roadway litter.)

Family Time:
(Have each member of the family tell what they enjoyed most about helping your neighbor. Have each member tell why they think the family did it.) Do you think our neighbor appreciates what we did? Do you think they will be nicer to you the next time you see them? Does it really matter if they are nicer to you? How would you feel if we did that and the person didn’t care at all? Would it change the reason for you doing it? Many times we choose how we will act based on whether or not it will please a certain person. Paul says in Galatians 1:10, Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. If Paul would have been helping us, what would his reason have been? He was a servant of Christ and helping others in need is something that Jesus wants His servants to do.

In Matthew, there is a parable of the sheep and goats. People received eternal life or eternal death based on whether or not they helped people in need. Jesus said that when they helped others in need, it was the same as helping Him. It makes us feel good inside to do something nice like that for someone in need. But our reason for doing it shouldn’t be to feel good or to make friends. Our reason for doing good things for others in need must be because we love God with all of our hearts and want to please Him. Let’s make sure our motives are right. Now let’s pray and thank God for the opportunity we had and ask Him to give us more opportunities to help others in need. (Lead in prayer.)

This lesson is the same style as those provided in the Family Time Can Be Fun Ebook.