Trail Life Troop
NC-613
Devotional – Manners
Opening
- We learned today the importance of using manners, now let’s see what God says about manners.
- Read, or someone read the Teaching verse. FYI: The memory verse is further down
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Devotional
Big picture Jesus taught we must treat others the way we want to be treated, and manners do exactly that.
- Q: Does anyone have a recent example of their using good manners towards someone? (e.g. set table)
- Q: Does anyone have an example where someone else showed you good manners? (e.g let you go first)
- Q: How did that person’s good manners make you feel? (e.g. respected, loved, important, helped)
- Read Matt 22:34-40. After loving God with all your heart, soul and mind, Jesus said the next greatest commandment was “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Q: What are some examples of how you can love your neighbor as yourself? (listen, pray, serve, encourage)
- Using good manners is a great way to love your neighbor.
- Q: So, who is Jesus talking about as “your neighbor” that you should show love to? Everyone. That’s right, everyone is your neighbor. Jesus is not talking about loving only those who live next door to you. He is talking about everyone, anyone that you meet.
- And, even more challenging, Jesus says we must love even our enemies by treating them with kindness.
- Read Matt 5:43-44. Jesus says love your enemies and pray for them. Wow! That is real love.
- So, you need to show good manners to everyone, even those people you don’t like or people that treat you unkindly. That is being a good Christian.
- Loving someone is more than just saying “I love you.” It’s showing them love.
- For example, you can love others by treating them like it is their birthday every day.
- Another example of how to love others is thinking of others before thinking of yourself.
- What are some examples of thinking of others before ourselves? (letting others choose what to play)
- Another example of loving others is being careful what you say. Your words can hurt others.
- So, use your words to carefully to encourage others, not to hurt others.
- Good manners include kind words and kind actions. Be someone who has good manners…always!
- Now let’s go to our new memory verse that could be the most important verse in the Bible.
Memory Verse #1:
Ask if anybody knows it yet and can say it? Read it together 2X Consider having a memory verse pamphlet for kids take home.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Topical Questions
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Do you see how using manners and how loving others is so closely related to each other?
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We discussed many ways to love others, can you think of any other ways to love others?
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How come it so hard sometimes to use our manners?
we are selfish, we get tired, want our way
Closing Prayer
Father God, we thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your one and only son, Jesus, to die to save the world from our sins. Help us to remember Your love, and Jesus’ love as we show good manners to others. Using our manners is the least we can do to say thank You back to You. Give us the wisdom and strength to love others using words and actions. In your name, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!
