Rakefest

GOD VALUES HUMILITY BECAUSE GOD IN CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF.

Bible Reading of the Day: Read Matthew 11:28-30.

Verse of the Day: “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

“All right, gang,” the youth director told the kids who had gathered for their church’s annual Youth Group Rakefest, “remember that you not only represent our church, but you represent Jesus Christ, too. Be sure you do what Jesus would do, and act the way Jesus would act.” He read Matthew 11:28-30, then prayed. When he said amen, the church youth group erupted in cheers.

“I love doing this,” Amie told Martha as they piled into a station wagon with their rakes. “It’s so much fun.”

“I do too,” Martha agreed. “I love seeing the looks on the old people’s faces when we rake their yards for free.”

Amie, Martha, and three other kids were driven by one of the kids’ parents to a nearby neighborhood. They had orders to stop at a house, across the street from First Church, their church’s rival, a church that always seemed to beat their church in volleyball and softball, and even Sunday school contests.

They spent over an hour raking the leaves for the elderly woman who lived across the street from the church, then went on to other yards. When they gathered together back at church, their youth leader asked them how it went.

“It was so much fun!” Amie said.

“Yeah,” Martha agreed. Then she laughed and added, “After we got done raking the first yard, the lady who lived there invited us in for some cider.”

“Yeah,” Amie said. “And she kept thanking us and telling us how wonderful we were and how much she appreciated all us kids from First Church!”

“She thought you were from First Church?” the youth leader said. “What did she say when you told her you were from our church?”

Martha and Amie exchanged glances. “We didn’t,” they said, smiling.

“Why not?” the youth leader asked.

The girls shrugged. “You said to do what Jesus would do,” Martha said. “We decided that Jesus would have been humble enough to let First Church get the credit,” said Amie. “So we didn’t say anything!”

Amie and Martha grinned. The youth leader shook his head in amazement. “So,” he said in a voice tinged with wonder, “you kids do listen to what I say.” “Sometimes!” Martha and Amie answered together, then laughed.

TO DISCUSS: God values humility because he humbled himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Do you think what Amie and Martha did was good? Why or why not? How can you let Jesus teach you to be humble and gentle today?

TO PRAY: “Lord, when we forget to be humble, remind us of Jesus’ humble example.”