Family Devo: Do Bees!

Family Devotion for Week of Sunday, February 16

The Beatitudes

Gather together: note cards or card stock or firm pieces of paper and crayons or markers. Make memorization cards for each of the Beatitudes:

Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Happy are people who are sad because they will be made glad.
Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
Happy are people who show kindness, because they will receive kindness.
Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God's children.
Happy are the people who are treated badly for doing the right things, because they will receive the kingdom of God.

Discuss: Jesus was gathering people to teach them and tell them about what God is like and how God sees us, loves us, and cares for us. Jesus teaches us that when something seems sad or poor or painful God wants us to feel joy know we are love and we can be healed. Jesus told us this in a way that sounds upside down -- that people are happy when bad things happen or that the big rewards they get for being kind and peaceful aren't things, but instead a reminder that they are special to God. 

It seems backwards or upside down thinking that people who are sad are actually blessed or happy. It is because they know that God is with them even when bad or uncomfortable things happen to them.

Start memorizing:  Start memorizing the beatitudes using the cards you made. Plan to have them memorized by March 4 for the Morrow pre-Lenten Pancake Supper!