Heart of Compassion for KidsSample

Humbly Putting Others First

Have you ever had someone help you, and pretty soon the whole world knows that person helped you? Maybe your friend helped an old person cross the street and the next time they saw you, they immediately had to brag, “Hey, did you hear what I just did?”

Scripture teaches that we shouldn’t be like that. Instead, humility is an important part of the list in Colossians 3:12 that says what we should clothe ourself with. Being humble includes putting others first. Why is humility important? Because the Bible also tells us that we should serve others with a servant’s heart. This means we aren’t serving others to get attention, or because we might get an award, applause, or praise for what we did. It means we should serve others regardless of what we get out of it. We should serve others so that people won’t see us but see God’s love for them.

When we serve others and seek praise, awards, and applause, we aren’t serving from a place of love and humility. We are serving others from a place of pride. In our Bible story, we see that Jesus challenged the religious leaders for doing the same thing. He said, “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” The religious leaders wanted everything they did to be noticed and praised. That’s the opposite of serving out of love.

God tells us to serve others from a place of love. This means we see people, we meet people where they are, and we serve them. We do it without wanting to get something in return. We do it out of love for that person. We allow our life to be used by God to show that person God’s love for them.

Who can you serve this week without anyone knowing? Maybe you can serve your teacher at school and leave her a note thanking her, or you can serve your parents by doing dishes without them telling you to. Spend some time and ask God who you can serve and be a blessing to without that person knowing you did it.

Dear God, help me show love to those around me from a place of humility. Help me to meet people where they are and to show them Your love. Amen.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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