Family Worship

Wise Up

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach your family that James, an early church leader, encourages the church to keep going when life is difficult because God will help them persevere.


MEMORY VERSE: 


“Listen to God’s words and do not turn from them.” Proverbs 4:5


Learn the Memory Verse together and say it throughout the week to help your family remember and apply what they have learned.


STEP 1. GATHER!

  • Have kids stand in a circle. Each of you will think of a short dance move and do it for everyone to see and learn. If it’s complicated, you may have to do it with us and teach us! Then the next person will go, but before she does her own move, she will do the moves that the person or persons before her did. The last person will do all the moves! It may be hard to remember all the moves that come before you, but it’s OK! You can ask for help! Anyone from the group can jump in and help you anytime by doing the move to remind you! It’s OK if you forget. 
  • If kids need help, give them some simple dance move ideas such as clapping your knees twice and then hands twice, doing the “disco move,” “flossing,” or any other simple moves you can think of. Don’t force kids to participate if they don’t want to. They can always watch and jump in as helpers for those participating. 
  • Great job remembering all those dance moves! Those were some pretty cool moves. And great job asking for help when you didn’t remember the next move. Sometimes we need help to know what to do next. We can always ask God for help and wisdom to know what to do. He is always there for us, and He will always give us wisdom when we need it. 

 

STEP 2. READ THE BIBLE AND WORSHIP

Sing and have fun while worshiping then pray. Take a moment here to thank God for your family and your time together!!



STEP 3. DISCUSSION !

Watch the Bible Story video, and use these questions and points to have a conversation with your children about the Bible story.

 

REVIEW THE BIBLE STORY  

Use these questions and points to have a conversation with your children about the Bible story.

  • In your own words, how would you explain what wisdom is?
  • In Proverbs 2, what does King Solomon compare searching for wisdom to? (If needed, invite kids to open their Bibles to Proverbs 2:2–4 and reread it together.) 
  • Who does wisdom come from? Where can we go to find it?
  • Can you think of a time you needed to ask for wisdom? Tell us about it.
  • What do you think will happen if you ask God for wisdom? 

Wisdom is a gift God gives us when we ask Him for it. When we have knowledge and understanding from God—when we have wisdom—we will know how God wants us to live, and we will have joy because God’s way is best! 


Mission Moment

Mary Slessor

(1848-1915)

Do you know any twins? Any brothers and sisters the same age as each other? I am a twin. I have a twin brother. I think being a twin is quite special.

A hundred years ago in Nigeria in Africa, people didn't think twins werw special at all. People hated twins and wanted to get rid of twins when they were born - but God sent Mary Slessor to help these babies. Even though Mary was very poor, even though Mary was born in Scotland - a long. long way from Africa - and even though Mary was a young woman all on her own, God used her to help save hundreds and hundreds of twin babies.

Mary traveled to Africa. Mary traveled to places other people thought were too far away and too scary. She was a long, long way from home, she was poor and she was a young woman all on her own but she wanted to tell the people there that her friend Jesus loved them too. She showed them that her friend Jesus loved twins as well. She jock twins that nobody wanted and looked after them - caring for hundreds and hundreds of babies. She became famous in Nigeria for helping all kinds of people in all kinds of ways, but I think helping all those twin babies was the best.



STEP 5. Pray!

Dear God, thank You for giving us wisdom (point to head) and showing us how to live. Thank You for leading us with Your Holy Spirit in all situations. Help us remember to always turn to You and seek Your wisdom (point to head). In Jesus’ name, Amen. 
Encourage the kids to hold their hands out in front of them, with palms up, as if their hands were open to receive something. Tell them to listen and receive the blessing as you speak it over them. 

Blessing: May you search high and low for wisdom from God every day. May your ears be quick to listen to wisdom and your heart be quick to understand it. And may you always walk in God’s good ways.