RPG Juniors
SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH
NOVEMBER 1
James 1:19
SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH
"Ouch!" yelled Nate. "You tripped me!" He held onto his skinned knee and rocked back and forth. "I didn’t trip you," said Philip. "You weren’t watching where you were going, and you fell over my foot."
Nate’s face was red with anger. "You stuck it out on purpose," he insisted. "I did not. It was your own fault!" replied Philip loudly. He was angry, too. Nate stood up, held up his fists, and lunged toward his brother. Philip moved aside quickly, but not before Nate managed to give his arm a hard whack. Philip struck back, and the fight was on!
John, their JW friend and a neighbor, had been watching the brothers. "Boys!" he called as he hurried over. "Boys!" John was just about to pull them apart when they heard loud growling and barking in the yard across the street. Philip and Nate stopped fighting and turned to look in the direction of the noise. Two dogs were snarling and snapping at each other.
"That little dog is going to get hurt!" exclaimed Nate, heading toward them. To his relief, the owner of the dogs came out of the house and separated them. "It scares me when dogs fight," said Philip.
John nodded. "It probably started over a bone," he said. After a moment he added, "How do you think God feels when He sees people fighting? Like what you boys were just doing? Do you think that makes Him feel the way you felt when you saw the dogs fighting?"
The boys looked at each other. Philip shrugged. "I don’t think He really gets scared, does He?" John smiled. "Well, no," he replied, "but don’t you think it makes Him sad to see people get angry and fight? We’re not pleased when dogs fight, and God isn’t pleased when people fight and argue. He tells us in the Bible that a quick-tempered person will do foolish things. So… how about talking things out instead of using your fists?"
Nate and Philip looked at each other and nodded. They knew that even though each still felt sure he had a good reason to be angry, they were probably wrong…
Thought: Do you often lose your temper? God says that’s foolish.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know the bible commends those who are "slow to wrath" - those who don’t get angry quickly. Teach me, heavenly Father, the next time I feel angry, to remember this verse and yield to God’s way of working things out peacefully instead of doing things my own way. I know I’ve shouted and got angry for the wrong reasons – so please forgive me and help me. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Posted in Junior
James 1:19
SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH
"Ouch!" yelled Nate. "You tripped me!" He held onto his skinned knee and rocked back and forth. "I didn’t trip you," said Philip. "You weren’t watching where you were going, and you fell over my foot."
Nate’s face was red with anger. "You stuck it out on purpose," he insisted. "I did not. It was your own fault!" replied Philip loudly. He was angry, too. Nate stood up, held up his fists, and lunged toward his brother. Philip moved aside quickly, but not before Nate managed to give his arm a hard whack. Philip struck back, and the fight was on!
John, their JW friend and a neighbor, had been watching the brothers. "Boys!" he called as he hurried over. "Boys!" John was just about to pull them apart when they heard loud growling and barking in the yard across the street. Philip and Nate stopped fighting and turned to look in the direction of the noise. Two dogs were snarling and snapping at each other.
"That little dog is going to get hurt!" exclaimed Nate, heading toward them. To his relief, the owner of the dogs came out of the house and separated them. "It scares me when dogs fight," said Philip.
John nodded. "It probably started over a bone," he said. After a moment he added, "How do you think God feels when He sees people fighting? Like what you boys were just doing? Do you think that makes Him feel the way you felt when you saw the dogs fighting?"
The boys looked at each other. Philip shrugged. "I don’t think He really gets scared, does He?" John smiled. "Well, no," he replied, "but don’t you think it makes Him sad to see people get angry and fight? We’re not pleased when dogs fight, and God isn’t pleased when people fight and argue. He tells us in the Bible that a quick-tempered person will do foolish things. So… how about talking things out instead of using your fists?"
Nate and Philip looked at each other and nodded. They knew that even though each still felt sure he had a good reason to be angry, they were probably wrong…
Thought: Do you often lose your temper? God says that’s foolish.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know the bible commends those who are "slow to wrath" - those who don’t get angry quickly. Teach me, heavenly Father, the next time I feel angry, to remember this verse and yield to God’s way of working things out peacefully instead of doing things my own way. I know I’ve shouted and got angry for the wrong reasons – so please forgive me and help me. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Posted in Junior