Do you have someone in your life that is hard to be kind to? Is it hard for you to forgive others? Sometimes the kids at school or at home can be mean. Learn a way to forgive others with a new perspective in this Kids Bible Devotional! Encouraging words for kids to start their day with, or to take time to rest and think on before bed time. Check out our webpage to see more Kid Bible Devotionals!
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
Our Heavenly Daddy forgave us of a great debt that we could never do anything to pay it ourselves. Jesus took our place of punishment so we could be forgiven by our heavenly Daddy through Jesus. When we freely come to Daddy through Jesus to ask forgiveness of our sins, then our heavenly Daddy forgives us. Just like that! He now is telling us that we are to do the same. We are to forgive others like He forgave us.
To forgive people He is saying we are to be kind and tenderhearted. In others words, we are to keep a soft heart toward others. How can we do that? One way is to put ourselves in another’s shoes; why were they mean or rude or unkind to us? Did they have a bad day, and now they are just reacting to how bad they felt because of the bad day? Was someone mean to them, and now they are reacting to how they feel inside because someone was mean to them? Were they never taught how to be kind to others, so they don’t know what kindness is? There are so many reasons why people act mean to us. With Jesus’ help we can find a way to not react to their unkind actions toward us, and instead keep our heart soft toward them.
We are to show others kindness, so they learn how to be kind, or so they can feel better. Sometimes our act of kindness toward those who have hurt us will help them have a better day and act kind to others too. Sometimes we also need to give some people space to process their emotions, and pray for them from afar. Giving space to others can be an act of kindness. We can let them know we care and are there to encourage them, and then give them space to work out what’s bothering them. We must ask the Lord and stay close to Him to know how we are to react to their unkindness, or to the unkindness that we feel inside us.
How has our Heavenly Daddy forgiven us? How are we to forgive others? How are we to forgive ourselves?
How can we change our perspective – how we think about a matter, to help our heart to forgive others?
Have you had a hard day and acted unkind to others because you had a hard day? How can you have a different reaction next time you have a hard day?
-The George Family Library Publishing Company
