KIDS: 21 Days of Fasting and PrayerSample

READ: “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”—Matthew 5:44–47 (NIV)

RESPOND: Who will you talk to today? Your family? Your friends? Of course, you’ll talk to them today. You talk to them every day. You hang out with them all of the time. You enjoy spending time with them because you love them. It’s easy to love people who love you, too.

But what about the girl that told lies about you, the boy that makes jokes about you because you go to church, or the person that cut in front of you in the lunch line? Do these people deserve to be loved by us? Jesus says YES! We’re to love these people like we love our friends, and we’re to pray for these people. Trust me, it’s not always easy, but it shows God's love to the people around us. It shows the world we’re different from them because we have experienced the love of Jesus, and we want to show that to everyone. Right now, think of someone you can love instead of hate today. Think of ways you can pray for that person right here, right now.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, thank You so much for the love You’ve shown to me, even when I didn’t love You. Jesus, please help me to love and forgive (insert the name of the person(s) you thought about above) today the same way You have loved and forgiven me. Amen.