For families with little ones (preschool age), this could be a 3-5 minute talk! It doesn’t have to be much. For older children, you can opt in for more of these options to extend your study time together. I recommend doing this with (especially little) children over a meal – whichever meal is the least chaotic in your home (for my family right now, that’s lunch), or saving the questions for while you’re on a walk or playing outside together. Have fun!
1. Read the scripture together: 1 Peter Chapter 5. The important thing is that you’re reading scripture together! If you’re looking for different ways to engage your children while reading, here are some fun ways to read scripture as a family:
Every reader takes a verse
Ask each child to pick two words they don’t understand to talk about after you read it. (For longer scriptures and younger children, you may need to split up the reading in order to do this.)
Draw a picture of what you read
Act it out as a family (And please send documentation of this to children.sjumc@gmail.com because we could all use a laugh right now!)
Sing it!
Use Legos or dolls to tell the story
2. Tell your kids this scripture is the Apostle Peter writing to churches. Apostle means teacher; Peter was an early teacher of Jesus! Sometimes in the Bible and in other books, they use something called “metaphors” to teach. Here Peter talks about a shepherd and sheep, but they’re really talking about a teacher and students, or a leader and (maybe younger) people learning from that leader.
3. Discussion Questions (as always, pick and choose which questions you’d like to discuss!):
In your family, who is the “shepherd”? How does it feel when they take care of you? Can you all be shepherds sometimes?
Are you a leader to anyone else? Think hard…☺ How can you lead them with kindness and care?
What do you think it means to respect your elders? What does that look like at home, or in other places (church, school, friends houses, etc.)? What is something you’ve done that showed your parents respect? Where can you improve? (Important for parents to answer these questions with their children!)
What would you do if an adult or “elder” told you to do something that was unsafe? Is it OK to say no then?
What do you think it means to be humble?
What does being anxious feel like? How can God help you when you feel anxious or worried? How can your “shepherd” help you?
4. Close in Prayer: God, thank you for helpful instructions on how to care for those younger than us, and older than us. When we are worried, it is uncomfortable. Help us feel your Peace and Love when we are worried. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
~ Erynne DeVore, director of Children’s Ministry