Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: Romans 3:10-12; 5:6-8

“Cade,” Mom said, coming into Cade’s room, “do you know where Ducky is?”

Finley, Cade’s little sister, was wailing in the hallway. “Cade took him. I know he did!”

“I don’t know where that dumb duck is, but I hope it’s gone forever!” Cade said. Ducky was a stuffed toy, and although the little duck was worn and ragged, Finley loved it dearly. She didn’t care that its fluff was all rubbed off and it was limp and faded. But Cade thought it was awful. He called it the Ugly Duckling.

“Well then, come out here and help look for Ducky,” Mom said, and the search was on. They looked everywhere—in the basement, under the furniture, even in the garbage can—but Ducky was nowhere to be found.

The next day, Mom had a talk with Cade. “Have you noticed that Finley is still very unhappy over losing Ducky?” she asked.

Cade rolled his eyes. “Why would she feel so bad about that thing? It looks like it’s made of old rags and sawdust. How can anybody love anything so ugly?”

Mom smiled. “Actually, Finley’s love for the Ugly Duckling, as you call him, reminds me of God’s love for us. He loves us even though we’re ugly ducklings, in a way—we’re all ugly sinners. For example, some of us tell lies.”

Mom looked intently at Cade, and his face turned red. “I—I lied,” he admitted. “I hid Ducky. He’s on the top shelf in my closet.”

“I saw him there when I was putting away laundry,” Mom said. “How do you think God feels about that?”

“I guess I never thought about how He feels—or thought of myself as an ugly duckling.” Cade hesitated.

“Do you think God loves me anyway? Like Finley loves the Ugly—I mean, like Finley loves Ducky?”

“He loves you much more than that,” Mom assured him. “He loves you so much that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for your sins. He wants to cleanse you and make you His child. Would you like to ask Him to do that?”

Cade nodded. “I don’t want to be an ugly duckling anymore.”

–Harry C. Trover

How about you? Do you realize that, in God’s sight, you’re like an ugly duckling? The Bible says everyone—including you—has sinned by doing wrong things, and sin is ugly. But God loves you in spite of your sin. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you. You don’t have to be an ugly duckling any longer. Trust Jesus as your Savior, and He will make you clean and new. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus died for sinners

Read: Colossians 1:9-12

Hadley came running out of children’s church. “How was your class today?” Mom asked as they climbed into the van.

“Mrs. Burton’s lesson was on intercession. When we pray, we need to pray for others too. Mrs. Burton explained that intercede means to act or plead on someone’s behalf,” Hadley proudly stated as she buckled in.

“Praying for others is important,” Mom said. “It’s easy to pray for ourselves, but sometimes we forget to ask God to help others with their needs and let them feel His love and presence in their lives.”

“Mrs. Burton often walks around her neighborhood praying for her neighbors. She calls it prayer walking,” Hadley said. “We went on a prayer walk this morning while you were in big church. We prayed for Pastor Tom, the congregation, and all the children’s church teachers. Mae and I want to start prayer walking around our apartment complex each week.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Hadley!” Mom replied. “Why don’t we put together a list of specific prayer requests for our neighbors.”

Starting that week, Hadley, Mae, and their moms prayer walked every Tuesday. One evening, as they were walking past Mr. Swanson’s apartment, he came out to visit. “Getting your exercise each week, I see.”

“And we’re praying too,” Hadley explained. As she talked, she noticed a tear slide down Mr. Swanson’s cheek. “Is everything okay?”

Mr. Swanson shook his head. “May I share a prayer request with you?” Hadley, Mae, and their moms gathered around as he spoke. They took turns praying over Mr. Swanson, then he said, “Thanks for praying with me.”

“Anytime,” Mae answered.

As the weeks went by, many prayer requests were answered in their small apartment community. The most exciting news was when one of Hadley’s neighbor friends gave his life to Jesus!

“You know, Mom, prayer walking has really taught me how to pray for others, and it’s been so exciting to see prayers answered,” Hadley said one Tuesday night.

“It’s given us so many reasons to praise God,” Mom replied as she gave Hadley a hug. “And it’s been great exercise too!”

–Lisa Fuller

How about you? Did you know that God wants us as Christians to intercede for others in prayer? Prayer is powerful, and when we ask God to act in other people’s lives out of love for them, it can result in changed hearts and deeper relationships with Jesus. You can pray for anyone anytime and anywhere, but doing a prayer walk in your church, school, or neighborhood is a great way to practice praying for others.

Today's Key Verse: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Pray for others

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-16

Amir rushed into the house and dropped his backpack. “Look at this!” he said, holding out a fossilized bone. “My teacher said I could borrow it to show Grandpa. Can I show it to him today?”

Mom smiled. “We’ll go over to the nursing home after supper.”

“Mrs. Patterson says only one out of millions of bones becomes a fossil,” Amir told his mother. “It has to be buried in just the right minerals. As the bone decays, the minerals seep into the pores, and bit by bit they replace the bone until there’s no bone left, just hard, strong rock mineral.”

“Really? Grandpa will love to hear about that,” Mom said. “I bet his neighbor, Mr. Wyatt, would like to see that fossil and hear about it too.”

“I doubt it,” said Amir. “He doesn’t like anything—or anybody. He’s too grumpy!” Amir set the fossil on the table. “I know he’s old, but Grandpa isn’t grumpy like that, and he’s even older than Mr. Wyatt.”

Mom thought for a moment. “Grandpa is a lot like that fossil,” she said.

Amir’s eyes grew wide. “He’s not that old!”

Mom laughed. “What I mean is, because Grandpa knows Jesus, God’s goodness and love have seeped into his heart over the course of his life. Just like minerals filled and replaced the materials originally found in the fossil, the Holy Spirit filled Grandpa with love, joy, and peace—all the right things. Now he’s pretty old. He’s growing weak and tired and is starting to forget things, but God’s Spirit is evident in him.”

“And it’s not in Mr. Wyatt?” Amir asked.

“As far as we know, Mr. Wyatt has never trusted Jesus as his Savior,” said Mom. “If he hasn’t, then he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit in his heart working to replace his old self with God’s goodness and love.”

Amir picked up the fossil. “Maybe I should show this to Mr. Wyatt like you said.” He looked at Mom. “And we should tell him how Jesus changes people like minerals change bones.”

“Yes,” Mom replied. “It’s not too late for him. God can still work a miracle in his life.”

–Heather Tekavec

How about you? Is God’s goodness seeping into your heart? Are the desires of your old sinful self being replaced with His love? When you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins working in your life to make you more like Him. Even though our physical bodies may grow old and weak, we have eternal life with Jesus, and through His Spirit our faith in Him grows stronger each day.

Today's Key Verse: Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus changes us

Read: Colossians 1:15-20

Judah stomped into his brother’s room. “You are not going to believe this, Isaac!” Judah was so angry his ears were red.

Isaac closed the book he was reading. “What’s the matter?”

“Just look at my new interactive robot!” The robot’s arm dangled from its side. “That’s the last time I ever let Sam use one of my toys. Do you know how much I paid for this?” Judah shook his head. “That guy has no respect for other people’s stuff!”

The next morning, Isaac and Judah were late for school. “Here.” Isaac tossed Judah a granola bar. “We don’t have time for breakfast, so eat this on the way.”

As the brothers took a shortcut through a neighbor’s backyard, Judah ate his granola bar in just three bites, then tossed the wrapper on the ground.

“Hey!” Isaac stopped and pointed to the wrapper “That’s littering! Go pick it up.”

“Oh, come on. It’s just one wrapper, Isaac.”

“It’s not your yard, Judah. How do you think the neighbors would feel if they saw you dropping trash in their yard?”

Judah sighed and picked up the wrapper. “I guess I wasn’t thinking.”

“Yeah,” said Isaac. “Kind of like Sam wasn’t thinking when he broke your robot.”

On Sunday, Mrs. Rawlings gave a lesson on creation. “God made everything,” she said. “But because our sin has made a mess of everything, Jesus is making everything new—not just the people who trust in Him, but one day, all of creation! Everything belongs to Jesus, and He wants us to enjoy everything He’s made. But we also need to respect that it belongs to Him and take good care of it.”

I know what it’s like to have someone not respect your stuff, thought Judah. I wouldn’t want to do that with God’s stuff!

The next morning, as Isaac and Judah passed by a neighbor’s yard on their way to school, Judah saw a plastic bag blowing across the grass. “I got it!” he called out. He raced over and stepped on it before it blew away, then placed it in the trash can at the end of the driveway.

“Hey!” shouted their neighbor from the porch. “Thanks for cleaning our yard!”

“No problem!” Judah shouted back. “And actually, it belongs to Jesus!”

–Kelly Carlson

How about you? Do you respect what doesn’t belong to you? Jesus created everything in the world around you—trees, grass, land, animals—and will one day make everything new and even better than it is now! Everything belongs to Him, and He wants you to help take care of what He’s made. How can you be respectful and take care of God’s beautiful creation?

Today's Key Verse: The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. Acts 17:24 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Care for God’s creation

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-19; 13:4

Anna came home from yet another lost softball game. As she walked past the living room cabinet, she saw her sister’s softball trophies. Macy’s team was undefeated. Anna sighed as she walked upstairs.

“Macy, have you started your math homework?” asked Anna.

“Started? I already finished. It’s easy,” said Macy.

Macy was in the advanced track at school. Anna was not. As Anna opened her binder to her math assignment, she felt a knot in her stomach. She couldn’t remember how to do the problems. She slammed her binder shut, put her head on her desk, and cried.

Anna heard a knock at her bedroom door. “Go away,” she said through tears.

Macy opened the door anyway. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“What’s wrong is that no matter how hard I try, you’re always there being a know-it-all!” yelled Anna.

“I’m not a know-it-all!” Macy yelled back and slammed the door.

“Who slammed that door?” Mom asked.

“I did,” said Macy, “because Anna called me a know-it-all.”

“Girls, come out here, please,” said Mom. Anna and Macy stepped out of their rooms.

“I have an idea,” Mom said. “Let’s play softball in the backyard.”

“But we don’t have any infielders,” said Macy.

“Or enough people for the basemen,” added Anna.

“We need people with different strengths to make a whole team, don’t we?” said Mom. “That’s true for more than just sports. As Christians, God has given each of us different strengths so we can work together to spread the good news of Jesus and show others His love. He made each of you girls to be smart and talented in your own way, and He loves you so much that Jesus died for you. Math might be harder for you, Anna, but Dad and I are so proud of you for winning your school’s essay contest.”

“I know.” Anna sighed. “I’m sorry for calling you a know-it-all, Macy.”

“I forgive you,” Macy said. “Would you like me to help you with your math homework?”

Anna smiled. “I’ll trade you homework help for the painting I made today.”

“Deal,” said Macy.

–Alexa Fetterly

How about you? Have you ever felt jealous of someone else? It’s easy to compare ourselves to friends and siblings, but God created each of us with unique gifts so we can show His love to others in our own special way. Jesus thought that you, in all your uniqueness, were worth dying for—that’s how much He loves you! Let Him replace your jealousy with love so you can use your gifts alongside other Christians to point people to Him.

Today's Key verse: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Today's Key thought: God made you unique for a purpose