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

Read: Ephesians 4:1-3; Philippians 2:1-4

Lisbeth was shocked at the amount of noise that hit her ears when she stepped into the animal shelter behind her best friend. She had never heard so much barking before.

“It’s not always like this,” Jenna said. She had been volunteering for a long time, but this was the first time Lisbeth had come with her and her mom.

They walked down a hallway lined with cages, and it seemed like every dog was barking. Lisbeth smiled when she saw one dog just lying in her cage. She didn’t look upset or sick or anything like that; she just looked peaceful, like she really wasn’t bothered by all the noise the other dogs were making.

“Do you remember what the Bible says about being peaceful?” Jenna’s mom shouted to be heard above the dogs. “It says we should do our part to live in peace with others, even if the world around us isn’t peaceful. I think Miss Ruby got the message.” She pointed toward the dog Lisbeth had noticed. “But we have something she doesn’t,” Jenna’s mom continued. “Since we belong to Jesus, we have His peace and love in our hearts. That’s what allows us to be truly peaceful.”

They spent time playing with the dogs and giving them love, then Lisbeth was dropped off at her house. As she walked up to the door, she could hear shouting. Ever since her mom remarried, the house was constantly noisy.

Lisbeth opened the front door. Her older brother was arguing with one of their stepbrothers. Her twin sisters were fighting over a doll. One of her stepsisters was screaming. She covered her ears.

There were times when Lisbeth would just join in with everyone else. When everyone else was upset, it was hard not to be mad too. But today she wanted to try something different.

Lisbeth walked over to her younger stepbrother and sat down beside him. He wasn’t joining in with all the screaming, but he didn’t look happy either.

“Do you want to play a game?” Lisbeth asked. “I’ll play with you.”

“Outside?” Darren asked, his eyes wide as he looked around the room.

Lisbeth laughed. “Sure.” She wanted to help bring peace to their home, but she didn’t have to stay right in the chaos in order to do that.

–Emily Acker

How about you? When everyone around you is getting loud and grumpy, do you join in? Or do you try to be the one peaceful person in the room? If you know Jesus as your Savior, you can treat others in a peaceful, loving way, even when tempers flare and no one agrees. Trust Him to help you do what you can to keep the peace. Is there anything you can do—with God’s help—to make your home more peaceful?

Today's Key Verse: If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (CSB)

Today's Key Thought: Live a peaceful life

Read: Isaiah 61:10; Matthew 20:28

“Jordan, could you please put Athena’s toys away while I give her a bath?” called Mom as she carried Jordan’s little sister to the bathroom.

Jordan groaned. He was right in the middle of a video game. He slammed his controller down and stomped into his baby sister’s room. “This is so unfair!” he said as he threw Athena’s toys into the toybox. “I didn’t make this mess. It’s not my job!”

After soccer practice the next day, Coach handed Jordan a big bag of dirty laundry. It was Jordan’s turn to take the soccer uniforms home to be washed. Jordan dumped the bag of filthy clothes in the kitchen.

“Hang on a minute,” said Mom. “What’s all this?”

Jordan was confused. Mom had washed the soccer uniforms countless times before. “It’s our turn to wash the uniforms,” he replied.

Mom tossed the bag back at Jordan. “Well, I don’t play soccer, so why should I wash them? It’s not my job!”

All of a sudden, Jordan’s own words came back to him. “But I can’t wash these!” he cried. “I don’t know how!”

Dad got up from his chair, a wry smile on his face. “Well then, I’ll show you!”

Dad patiently showed Jordan how to operate the washing machine. “You know, families should help one another, Jordan, and sometimes that means cleaning up someone else’s mess.”

Jordan sighed. “But cleaning up after Athena is hard!”

“Well, so is going to work every single day,” said Dad.

Jordan had never thought about that before.

“And how about Mom?” Dad continued. “She changes dirty diapers. She washes our clothes and cleans up after people all the time. Imagine if she stopped doing all those things because they weren’t her job?”

Jordan laughed. “We’d all stink!”

Dad grinned. “It reminds me of what Jesus did to save us. He came to earth and cleaned up the great big mess of sin we had made. Jesus never sinned. Not once. But He was willing to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. I’m so thankful He saved me and made me clean!”

“Me too!” Jordan said as he dumped the dirty uniforms into the washing machine.

–Angela Jelf

How about you? Do you moan and complain when you’re asked to clean up a mess someone else made? Jesus loves us so much He was willing to save us from the biggest mess of all that none of us were able to clean up—sin. When we trust in Him, He removes our filthy rags of sin and clothes us in garments as white as snow. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:5 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes us clean

Read: Psalm 121

“Why are we making a scarecrow for the garden?” Cora asked her grandma as she put in some more stuffing.

“Well, the scarecrow helps keep the garden safe from crows. The crows love to pull up the sprouts just as they’re popping out of the ground, but when they see the scarecrow, they’re afraid to come into the garden.”

“So the scarecrow is pretty important. I think we should name him,” Cora said. “Let’s call him Patrick, Protector of the Garden.”

“I like that name,” Grandma replied.

When they finished putting the scarecrow together, Grandma and Cora carried him to the center of the garden and set him up. “Okay, Patrick, protect our garden!” Cora exclaimed as she gave him a salute.

Grandma smiled. “Now let’s go have some lemonade and cookies.”

Grandma got a tray of cookies and two glasses of lemonade, and they went out and sat at the picnic table under the big shade tree.

“Making the scarecrow was a lot of fun today,” Cora said as she took a bite of her cookie.

“And having you here to help made it even more special for me,” said Grandma. “You know, each year when I make a scarecrow, I stop and think about how the Lord is always watching over me and protecting me. The scarecrow gives me a visual picture. He looks like he’s keeping watch in the center of the garden, and I envision the Lord keeping watch over me in the same way.”

“But the scarecrow can’t actually see anything,” Cora said. “He just scares the crows away.”

“Right,” said Grandma. “But God sees everything. Proverbs 15:3 says, ‘The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.’ God sees us, and He also loves us. He sent Jesus to save us from sin and evil and to be with us through all of life’s difficulties. So, Cora, if you ever feel like God is far away and you’re all alone, just stop and think of Patrick the Scarecrow and remember what the Bible says about God’s faithfulness to us.”

“I will, Grandma.” Cora grinned. “Can I take Patrick home with me after the harvest?”

Grandma chuckled. “I’m sure it will be fine, as long as you keep him outside.”

–Lisa Fuller

How about you? Do you ever feel like God is far away and doesn’t care about you? When you feel that way, open up your Bible. God’s Word is full of verses that will remind you of how much He loves you and His faithfulness to you. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for you, and He promises He will never leave you, even when bad things happen. Trust Him to watch over you.

Today's Key Verse: The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:8 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: God watches over you

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

When he got home from school, Jason found his mom in the laundry room. “How was your day?” Mom asked as she looked up from a shirt she was ironing.

“Terrible!” said Jason. “I failed a math test and have to take it over again. Then I found out my favorite teacher is moving away. And then I accidentally knocked down the principal’s daughter!”

“Knocked her down? How did that happen?”

“I came around a corner really fast and ran right into her,” Jason said. “I apologized, but she’s probably still mad.”

“I’m sure she knows you didn’t do it on purpose,” Mom said.

Jason sighed. “I doubt it. She probably told all her friends what a loser I am.” Jason looked at the shirt Mom was ironing. “That’s my shirt for your cousin’s wedding this weekend, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.” The doorbell rang, and Mom handed him the partially ironed shirt. “Here. Why don’t you finish ironing it while I answer the door?”

When Mom returned, Jason had just finished pressing the shirt. He held it up. “Look at this,” he said. “It’s wrinkle-free!”

Mom nodded. “The heat and pressure of the iron took the wrinkles right out.” She turned off the iron and unplugged it. “Sometimes that’s how God gets the wrinkles out of us too.”

“Wrinkles?” Jason rubbed his forehead. “I don’t have wrinkles yet.”

Mom laughed. “I’m thinking of wrinkles in the ways we think and act—things like impatience, anger, and self-pity, just to name a few. God sometimes uses the heat and pressure of difficulties in our lives to iron them out.”

“So you think God is using the stuff that happened to me today to make me more patient and not feel sorry for myself so I can be wrinkle-free?”

“Well, we’ll never be wrinkle-free until we get to heaven—we’ll always have things we struggle with. But He does use the things that happen in our lives—even things we don’t like—to make us more like Jesus and help us love and care for others. And He’s always with us in the troubles we face too.”

Jason nodded. “I guess I’d better go study for that math test, huh?”

“Yes,” Mom said. “At least you’re getting another chance to iron that out!”

–Barabara J. Westberg

How about you? Do you ever feel pressured by what’s going on in your life? God sometimes uses difficult circumstances to press the wrinkles out of us. It may be uncomfortable for a while, but He’s doing it to make us more like Jesus. Be patient as He teaches you to trust Him and show His love to others. He promises to be with you as He irons the wrinkles out of your life.

Today's key verse: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Patiently endure difficulties

Read: Psalm 1:1-3; 119:97-104

Naomi couldn’t wait! Any minute now the bus would arrive to take her and her dad to the chocolate factory. “Do you think we’ll get to taste any chocolate?” she asked eagerly.

“I’m sure there will be some samples,” her father replied. “But don’t get too excited. We won’t eat more than a few bites, most likely.”

Naomi’s face fell. “Oh.” She sighed. “Can we buy some to take home then?”

Dad smiled. “Of course. I know your mom and Ethan would like some.”

Screech! The bus pulled up to the curb. Over the next two hours, Naomi and her dad toured the whole factory and saw how every machine worked. Finally, it was time for the samples. As they sat down and took their first nibbles of the tiny chocolate samples, Dad asked, “Did you do your devotions this morning?”

Naomi looked at the table. “No,” she admitted. “I was too excited about this!” She held up her last piece of chocolate before popping it into her mouth.

“Hmm,” Dad said. “That reminds me of something my dad told me when I was about your age. He said we should think of our devotion time as a tasty treat!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Naomi. “We can’t eat our Bibles!”

“No, but we can take in what we read and store it in our hearts and minds. Remember how excited you were to come here this morning? Well, how much more exciting is it that God speaks to us through His Word? That He loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us so we could have a relationship with Him? And that He wants to spend time with us and help us remember His truth and promises?”

“Oh!” exclaimed Naomi. “Now I get it. The Bible is a gift from God. He loves us and wants us to know Him, and spending time with Him tastes good to our hearts!”

“Bingo!” Dad declared.

Naomi grinned. “Dad, when we get home, can we do devotions together?”

“Sounds like a plan!” Dad announced. “And maybe we can even eat some chocolate while we’re at it!”

–Katelyn Claggett

How about you? Have you ever gotten really excited about something? What about devotions—are you ever excited to read the Bible and spend time with God? We don’t usually think of devotions as exciting, but being able to have a relationship with God and hear Him speak to us is the most exciting thing of all! When you spend time with God reading the Bible, you’ll see how good His words taste to your heart and mind.

Today's key verse: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Spend time with God