“Anger & Disputes, Revenge & Enemies”

​B I B L E  B I T S  &  B I T E S
Devotional Activities for Families – Week of May 9-15, 2022

2022 Theme: “Doing Life with Jesus”
Week 19: “Anger & Disputes, Revenge & Enemies”
Weekly Bible Bite: Matthew 5:21-26; 5:38-48
​
Video lesson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZXxtglvQ3Y (KidSpring Children’s Ministry - How can I help my child when they are angry?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBri0MwWGoM (Douglas Talks – Let It Go)

Why is it so easy to get angry sometimes? To want to get revenge? To make enemies instead of making friends? When someone is mean to us, we feel that it’s okay to be mean back…“They started it!” But God wants us to respond very differently!

​God wants us to learn to behave in a way that is like him. Can you imagine what would happen if God got mad and took out his revenge every time someone said or did something that disrespected him? It would not be good for us. And just as God shows self-control and patience, he wants us to do so as well. When we follow Jesus, we become part of God’s specially chosen people…but specially chosen means learning to respond to others the way that Jesus did. Not with hatred, but with love.

I know, it’s a tough thing to do, but it’s exactly what God has done for us and so we need to show our gratitude for his gift of love by sharing it with others.

Family goal:
How can we show love to others who sometimes make us angry?
[Be sure to pick a measurable goal involving a task so that children will know when they have completed it.]

Weekly verses:
Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT – “And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”
Family activities:
• Colour and use the anger management street light to show how you’re feeling instead of ‘exploding.’
• Check over the coping skills list…what could you do the next time you’re tempted to get mad or get even?

Prayer:
Thank you, God for showing us what it means to love someone who is our enemy. Help us to use self-control and patience rather than just reacting and being nasty back to someone who is mean to us. Help me be a good example to others by copying you and not giving in to the desire for revenge.