Audience of One

Editor’s Note: Kids’ devotional books are some of our most popular — both for kids and adults! Enjoy this excerpt from NIrV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions and forward on to a young friend.

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Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ. — Galatians 1:10

Who is the first person you talk to when something good happens in your life? Your friends? Parents? Siblings? What about when you get an A on a test? Or score a goal in soccer? It feels good when people clap for you and give you a high five. But sometimes, we worry too much about other people’s opinions. Sometimes, all we care about are those cheers and high fives.

When you only want to please others, it means that what other people think matters more to you than what God thinks. If that happens, you have allowed others to take God’s place. The only audience you need to please is God! Make Him number one in your life, because God’s love and what He thinks about you is most important.

Dear God, thank you for loving me most. Help me to seek Your opinion instead of the opinions of others. Amen.

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Respecting God and Others

The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for Him. They put their hope in His faithful love. — Psalm 147:11

Have you ever wanted to laugh when someone falls down? Have you ever wanted to call someone a name because he looks different than you? Have you ever wanted to say a bad word to fit in or get attention? Respect is a big word and important to understand. Respect means you care about the other person’s feelings. Respect means you think good things about a person no matter how he looks.

• Respect means you care about yourself too.

Did you know you can also show God respect? Yes, you can! You can talk to God and thank Him for everything He’s given you. You can listen to your parents without grumbling or complaining. And you can read your Bible and tell others about it. All these things show respect for God!

Dear God, thank you for your love. Help me to show respect — to You and others. Amen.

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Build Each Other Up

So encourage one another with the hope you have. Build each other up. In fact, that’s what you are doing. — 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Do you have a friend who is going through a hard time? Maybe your friend got a bad grade on a test. Maybe his parents are fighting. Or maybe she didn’t make the team. Life can be difficult sometimes. When tough stuff happens in your friend’s life, what do you do? Hope it blows over soon and ignore them until it does? Or do you listen and offer encouragement? Building up your friends, especially during difficult times, will give them the confidence they need to get through it. And when it’s your turn to have a bad day, because everyone does, your friend will hopefully be there for you too.

• Jesus encouraged people, and He tells us to build up others as well.

You demonstrate God’s love when you speak kind words. And guess what? When you encourage others, you build up yourself too.

Call your friend or bring them a small homemade gift, like cookies or some other treat. It shows them how much you care.

Excerpted with permission from NIrV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions: Polar Exploration Edition, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

Today, let’s work on talking to God about everything and before anyone else! He wants to hear from us about everything on our minds because He loves us. Let’s also treat others with respect and kindness not because of what they do but because of who we are and who we belong to. When we encourage others and love them well and it becomes a habit, we grow up to be people like Jesus! ~ Devotionals Daily