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

Read: Ephesians 5:1-4

Brooke’s bag bounced against her back as she raced across the field. Her sister April stood on the sidewalk just outside the middle school.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Brooke squeezed her big sister. “How long will you be home before you have to go back to college?”

“Two weeks.” April smiled and tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder.

Kids poured out of the school and whizzed by. One of Brooke’s friends waved as she zipped past. “See you on Monday, Brooke.”

“Bye,” Brooke called after her. Her cell phone vibrated against her leg, and she pulled it out.

You HAVE to text me after you see this. It was a message from her friend Mindy.

Brooke touched the screen and music blared from her phone.

“What are you watching?” April asked. She peered over Brooke’s shoulder at the screen.

An unflattering photo of the principal’s head was attached to the body of an ape. It danced around for a couple seconds, and then everything faded to black.

April frowned as Brooke slid the phone into her pocket. “I hope you don’t watch videos like that all the time.”

Brooke shrugged. “I’ve asked Mindy to stop sending them, but she doesn’t listen.”

“Well, it’s not your fault if she tries to get you to watch things that you shouldn’t. But you do have a choice. You can choose not to view the things she sends.”

Brooke nodded. Her sister was right. The videos Mindy sent her didn’t even make her laugh. They made her feel terrible.

April rested a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “You know how Mom’s always talking about how we need to love others the way Jesus loves us and treat people the way He would? Well, that includes people online and on our phones too. We need to treat them with love and respect because Jesus loves them and died for them.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Brooke said.

“Why don’t you get out your phone so we can take some selfies?” April gave her cheesiest grin and made bunny ears behind Brooke’s head as Brooke took a picture. “Then maybe you can show me the most recent pics of you and your friends.”

Brooke nodded, then held up her phone for another selfie and smiled.

–Annika Klanderud

How about you? Have you ever watched something online that you knew you shouldn’t have? Sometimes it may feel like the things we do online are pretend and don’t really matter, but they can hurt both you and others. Show others God’s love by treating them with respect both online and in person, and use technology to enhance your relationships with others instead of hurting them.

Today's Key Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Use technology in good ways

Read: Ephesians 5:1-4

Brooke’s bag bounced against her back as she raced across the field. Her sister April stood on the sidewalk just outside the middle school.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Brooke squeezed her big sister. “How long will you be home before you have to go back to college?”

“Two weeks.” April smiled and tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder.

Kids poured out of the school and whizzed by. One of Brooke’s friends waved as she zipped past. “See you on Monday, Brooke.”

“Bye,” Brooke called after her. Her cell phone vibrated against her leg, and she pulled it out.

You HAVE to text me after you see this. It was a message from her friend Mindy.

Brooke touched the screen and music blared from her phone.

“What are you watching?” April asked. She peered over Brooke’s shoulder at the screen.

An unflattering photo of the principal’s head was attached to the body of an ape. It danced around for a couple seconds, and then everything faded to black.

April frowned as Brooke slid the phone into her pocket. “I hope you don’t watch videos like that all the time.”

Brooke shrugged. “I’ve asked Mindy to stop sending them, but she doesn’t listen.”

“Well, it’s not your fault if she tries to get you to watch things that you shouldn’t. But you do have a choice. You can choose not to view the things she sends.”

Brooke nodded. Her sister was right. The videos Mindy sent her didn’t even make her laugh. They made her feel terrible.

April rested a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “You know how Mom’s always talking about how we need to love others the way Jesus loves us and treat people the way He would? Well, that includes people online and on our phones too. We need to treat them with love and respect because Jesus loves them and died for them.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Brooke said.

“Why don’t you get out your phone so we can take some selfies?” April gave her cheesiest grin and made bunny ears behind Brooke’s head as Brooke took a picture. “Then maybe you can show me the most recent pics of you and your friends.”

Brooke nodded, then held up her phone for another selfie and smiled.

–Annika Klanderud

How about you? Have you ever watched something online that you knew you shouldn’t have? Sometimes it may feel like the things we do online are pretend and don’t really matter, but they can hurt both you and others. Show others God’s love by treating them with respect both online and in person, and use technology to enhance your relationships with others instead of hurting them.

Today's Key Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Use technology in good ways

Read: Psalm 119:97-105

After the church service was over, Cooper helped his mother straighten up the nursery. It was raining hard, so when they were almost finished Mom went to get the car while Cooper put the rest of the toys away. Just as he was about to leave, a crash of thunder shook the building and all the lights went out. “Oh, great!” Cooper said, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the blackness. They didn’t. The room was deep in the building and had no windows. I’ll just have to be careful, he thought.

Cooper walked cautiously toward the door. His knee bumped into something. He reached down and felt a table the toddlers used. He stepped to the right. “Ow!” he exclaimed as his head caught the corner of a shelf. It rattled, and books fell to the floor. This isn’t like when the power goes off at home, he thought. There you know where things are. Feeling his way along the wall, he walked straight into a box of building blocks. The box turned over and the blocks tumbled out as Cooper fell to his knees. This is ridiculous, he thought. He found the wall again and moved slowly to the door. Where is Mom, anyway? I need a light!

Just then a phone light flickered at the end of the hall, and he heard his mom’s voice. “Hang on, Cooper,” she called. “I’m coming.”

As they headed home, Cooper told his mother about the verse his class had learned that day. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” he recited. “But the Bible certainly didn’t give me any light in that dark nursery room!”

Mom laughed. “You know that verse isn’t talking about the kind of light that comes from the sun or from lamps, right? It’s talking about light the Bible shines on our lives by showing us our sin and what Jesus has done to save us. It also gives us wisdom and direction as we trust and follow Him. Does that make sense?”

Cooper nodded. “That’s pretty much what my teacher said too.”

“Stumbling through the building in the dark was bad enough,” said Mom. “I’m glad God gave us the Bible so we wouldn’t have to stumble through life without His light!”

–Debra W. Smith

How about you? Are you stumbling through life without the light God gives through His Word, the Bible? It tells us who God is and how we’ve been separated from Him because of our sin, and how Jesus died to save us so we could have eternal life. It also offers us wisdom and encouragement as we trust in Jesus and show His love to others. Shine light on your life by reading God’s Word!

Today's Key Verse: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: The Bible gives light

Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5

When Rayna went into the kitchen, Mom was putting the finishing touches on her birthday cake. “It looks like the ants have decided to come to your party,” Mom told her.

“Aunt Joyce and Aunt Linda?” Rayna asked.

Mom laughed. “No, those ants!” she said, pointing to the floor where several ants were scurrying around. “Why don’t you get an ant trap from the closet.”

As Rayna crouched down to put the trap on the floor, she began to cry. Mom set the cake aside. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“Everything!” Rayna said between sobs. “I hate this old house. Melody has a nice house, and she got more stuff shopping yesterday than I’m going to get for my birthday.” Rayna tried to stop her tears. “And she has a dad, and her mom doesn’t have to work like you do. It’s just not fair! Sometimes I—” She hesitated. “Sometimes I almost hate Melody. I try not to feel that way because I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it.”

Mom put an arm around Rayna. “It can hurt to see others with something we wish we had, but it’s important not to let those feelings turn to bitterness and jealousy.” She pointed to the plastic square on the floor. “Do you know how those traps kill ants?”

“They have poison inside that the ants think is food. They bring it home for all the ants to eat, and it kills them.” Rayna frowned. “But what does that have to do with bitterness and jealousy?”

“Well, they’re a lot like ants. Trying not to feel them is like trying to kill ants one by one—they just keep coming back! But a thankful spirit works like an ant trap—it kills bitterness at its source. After your dad left, I was very bitter. But when I looked to Jesus and remembered that He died to save me and saw all His blessings in my life—like you, my health, and my church family—that bitterness turned to thankfulness. Though I still feel sad, I remember that Jesus loves me—and that He loves your dad too.”

Rayna nodded and wiped her eyes. “I’ll put out a bitterness trap right now by thanking Jesus for all my friends coming to my party—especially Melody.”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Are you jealous of people who have more stuff than you? Do you feel bitter because your life doesn’t look like someone else’s? Bitterness and jealousy are poisonous and can eat you up inside. When you feel them creeping in, go to Jesus. Remember that He died and rose again so you could have eternal life with Him, and think of some other blessings He’s put in your life. Then trust Him to help you replace bitterness with thankfulness.

Today's Key Verse: Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…and be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus frees you from bitterness

Read: Ephesians 1:3-6

“Leo, it’s your turn to help with the dishes tonight,” Mr. Phillips said as the kids finished scraping up the last smudges of tomato sauce with their garlic bread.

“Why do I have to do so much around here?” asked Leo.

“Because you’re part of the family, and family members help with the chores,” answered Mr. Phillips.

Leo looked down at his plate. “Even though you’re just my foster family?”

Mr. Phillips looked across the table at Mrs. Phillips, who smiled as the kids began carrying their dishes to the sink. “Leo, do you know why we agreed to be your foster parents?” she asked.

“Well, I’m guessing it wasn’t for my dishwashing skills!”

Mrs. Phillips laughed. “Not even close! We didn’t care what you looked like, sounded like, or how smart you were. We loved you even before you joined our family because God created you in His image and brought you to us.”

“Okay, but what does that have to do with me washing dishes?” Leo asked.

“Think of it this way,” said Mr. Phillips. “We become part of God’s family when we trust Jesus as our Savior. We can’t earn a place in His family, but He sent His Son to die for our sins because He loves us and wants to be our heavenly Father. When we become His children, our actions and words should show it. His love for us makes us want to serve Him and love others.”

Mrs. Phillips nodded. “You weren’t born into our family, but since you’re part of it now, I hope you’ll want to show it by helping with the dishes.”

Leo brought his dishes to the sink and turned the water on hot. As he began to scrub, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. “So it’s okay that I’m not the smartest kid in class or the best on the basketball team? You guys love me no matter what and want me to be part of the family?”

“Absolutely,” said Mrs. Phillips. “It’s not about what you do, Leo. We aren’t going to send you away when you mess up or make a mistake. You’re part of our family now.”

Leo couldn’t hide his smile as he turned back to the sink and continued washing dishes for his family who loved him.

–Emily Saxe

How about you? What’s your family like? Maybe you’re adopted, in foster care, or you live with relatives. Whatever your situation, if you trust Jesus as your Savior, you’re in God’s family forever! He loves you and will help you love others, and He’ll never turn you away when you mess up. If you’re not part of His family, you can become one of His children today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Be part of God’s family