“Treating Others Well is the Secret to Being Treated Well”

B I B L E  B I T S  &  B I T E S
Devotional Activities for Families – Week of June 19-25, 2022

2022 Theme: “Doing Life with Jesus”
Week 24: “Treating Others Well is the Secret to Being Treated Well”
Weekly Bible Bite: Matthew 7:7-12

Video lesson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GXUAFWuF_A (Neely Carter – Treat Others the Way You Want to be Treated)

God is our good heavenly Father and he promises to treat us well. When we ask for his help, he will provide it. He isn’t out to get us and doesn’t make us earn his love. As his children, he wants us to be like him and to treat others the way we want to be treated…both by other people and by him.

Treating others kindly does not guarantee that they will treat us well, but that’s not the point. We aren’t to be kind to other people to get something from them, but rather to please God.
So far, we have seen how Jesus taught in his famous sermon on the mountainside that we are to show mercy…and we will be shown God’s mercy; we are to forgive others…and God will forgive us; we are not to judge others…or God will judge us. And here? Treat others the way you want to be treated…and our good heavenly Father will treat you in the ways you want to be treated, too.

Jesus assures us that when we ask, God will give us what we need. When we seek him, we will find him. And when we knock on his door through our prayers, we can be sure that he will answer. The challenge is to act like his children and to show other people the same kindness that we want to experience from God.

Family goal:
Treating others kindly does not guarantee that they will treat us well, but that doesn’t give us a reason to stop being kind. What is a kindness you could do this week for a member of your family, a neighbour or even a stranger?
[Be sure to pick a measurable goal involving a task so that children will know when they have completed it.]

Weekly verses:
Matthew 7:12a, NLT – “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.”

Family activities:
• Colour the picture or draw one of you treating someone else kindly.
• Make a poster to hang up of this week’s verse.
• Bake a treat to share with someone
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Prayer:
Thank you, God that you tell us how important it is that we bear your family resemblance. You want us to be like you, showing people your love for them, not somehow thinking that our relationship with you is to be kept a secret. Help us to treat others the way we want you to treat us.