Kid's Devotion - Treating Everyone The Same

1. Watch the following Doug episode

2. Doug trivia.
     What is the name of the school team?
3. Why was Patty wearing a disguise? 
4.  Look at this definition of prejudice from Websters on line dictionary
       preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge
  an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics .  What are some common prejudices today?

5. Who was the coach prejudiced against? What were some of the coach's sexist statements or behaviors?
6. Read Gal.3:28,29.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203:28-29&version=MSG . What were 3 groups that had prejudice against each other? Why did Paul say that this was a sin?
7. Read John 1:45,46.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201:45-46&version=NLT  What was Nathanael prejudice against? How do we do this? What does Phillip say is the remedy?
8. Read Numbers 12:1. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2012:1&version=NET . Who were Miriam and Aaron prejudiced against? Is this an issue today?
9. Who have you been prejudiced against? Confess it to the Lord and ask for deliverance.
Note to parents
    In this episode we see Patty having to disguise herself because the coach thought boys were superior to girls. The coach is a very unlikeable character which is good because sexism, racism, etc. make a person very ugly. We experience this all around us where women get less job opportunities and less pay, African Americans (Cushites from Num. 12:1) still fight an uphill battle, and Hispanics are disliked for" crossing the border and taking our jobs" (I just heard that this week) Also, we tend to have a lot of pride in where we are from, which is good, but not when we think people from other nations, states, cities are inferior to us. Just look at the fights at High School football games and most of them come from Nathanael like statements. We need to realize that God made all of us and He loves us all equally. Technically, we are all related to Noah so we are all relatives. Phillip said, "Come and see" to Nathanael's prejudicial remark. Maybe that's what we need to do; get out of your bubble and get to know people from other areas. Maybe you will find that they are no different from you!

Donkeys and Walking Sticks

 "Jair of Gilead, led Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair. When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon....  After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel.  He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites."  Judges 10:3-5, 12:13-15

   I'm always amused by these verses - to go through life and be known for how many donkeys you owned and where you were buried seems to me such a waste of a life. I recently was reminded of this in a personal way. My dad died and as we arranged his burial, the funeral director, knowing that my dad loved to hike to Mt. LeConte asked if we would like to have his walking stick buried in the casket with him. He stated that he has even buried motorcycles with people. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that he was wrong by offering this; if so I am much more guilty for offering prenatal testing for birth defects (it's one of those things the profession requires) - but I was horrified to think that my dad's life might be remembered by his hiking. Sure, that was enjoyable for him but it wasn't WHO he was anymore than I would want to be buried with a Doctor's bag or a scalpel and be remembered for being a doctor.
     What would my dad have wanted to be remembered for? What do I want to be remembered for? Let me illustrate it this way. Do you know how the gospel came to Korea? In the 1800's a British missionary to China, Sir Robert Thomas, felt deep compassion for Korea, a country that was hostile to outsiders. He learned a little Korean and bought a bunch of tracts and Bibles, mainly in Chinese and convinced an American trade ship wanting to establish relations with Korea that he could be their interpreter. The ship got attacked in the waters off shore Korea and was set fire. As the crew abandoned the ship and were quickly killed, Robert Thomas was said to have abandoned the ship with an armful of Bibles throwing them to the Koreans while yelling "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" while he was clubbed and speared to death. The killers noticed something different about this man and thought that his "book" must be very important. When people who could read Chinese later came to Korea they translated these Bibles and now South Korea is one of the most Christian nations in the world.
      What would my dad have wanted to be remembered for? What do I want to be remembered for? I want to be remembered for having a passion for and sharing God's word. I'm comforted to know that even if I am as unqualified as giving Chinese Bibles to Koreans, God can use a willing servant. And I want to be known as a person who constantly spoke of Jesus till my last breath. That's what I want. That's what my dad DID. Isn't that what you want to be remembered for?