We don’t always have to get on an airplane to find a person in need. Most of the time we don’t have to get in our cars. Sometimes we don’t even need to leave our houses. At Watermark we talk about how we after we’ve had the opportunity to “come and see” who Jesus is, then we have a responsibility to “go and be” His representatives to a lost and hurting world. As we seek to be people, who are following through on what God has called us to do, responding to the needs of others is another way that we can show RESPONSIBILITY! What a privilege that our good and loving Father allows us to be a part of His plan to meet the needs of others
RESPONSIBILITY: Following Through With What God Has Called Me To Do
MEMORY VERSE: “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." GALATIANS 6:4-5 (NLT)
This Week’s Finish Line: I Can Be Responsible to Respond to the Needs of Others
In Moab, Ruth and her mother in law, Naomi, were childless widows and had no one to take care of them. Naomi decided to move back to her hometown of Bethlehem, but she encouraged Ruth to stay behind in Moab where she might find a new husband to care for her. Ruth knew that her mother in law was alone and in need so she chose to stay with her and trust God to meet both of their needs. Once they arrived in Israel, God led her to a field owned by a man named Boaz and she worked there to gather food for herself and Naomi. Boaz was a man who loved and followed the Lord and he saw that Ruth and Naomi were both in need. God used Boaz to be their kinsman redeemer and he took responsibility to care for their needs. Boaz and Ruth were married and many, many years later a very special baby came from their family to be the Redeemer for the whole world. That baby was Jesus, and He made the ultimate sacrifice to meet our greatest need.
Family Questions:
- Read the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz in the book of Ruth. Who was in need? Who did God use to care for those needs? How?
- What are some things in your life that might be distracting you from recognizing the needs of others?
- Sometimes those same distractions can keep us from meeting the needs of others even when we do recognize them. What does Philippians 2:5-11 teach us about looking beyond ourselves so that we can respond to the needs of others?
Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:
- Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.
Teacher: Truth in Ruth
This week at the dinner table read one chapter a day out of the book of Ruth. Before each chapter, tell your family to listen closely to see who in that chapter is responsible to respond to the need of others. After reading, discuss with your family on how specifically the person or persons were responsible. Then talk about how God used those people in His BIG story of history. Ruth and Boaz were the great grandparents of king David and many years later Jesus came from the same family line!
Friend: Pumpkin Gospel!
One way we can be responsible to respond to the need of others is by telling them the good news of Jesus. We have a fun and creative way for you to do that using pumpkins! Have your family invite a few friends over and share the gospel with them using pumpkin carving. Specific directions are here.
Counselor: How Have Others Been Responsible?
As you are putting your family to bed, ask them who is someone that has been responsible to respond to the needs in their life. Ask specifically how they responded and what they did to help them. Encourage them to follow that person's example and explain that ultimately they are following the example of Jesus.
Coach: Memory Verse
As you are getting your family ready for the day, work on the memory verse together. One of the greatest things you can do for your children is plant God’s word in their hearts.
“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." GALATIANS 6:4-5 (NLT)
Prayer
Thank God for seeing your needs and His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Ask Him to help you pay careful attention to the needs of those around you and not just focus on yourself this week.
Looking Ahead
Next week we will finish the month of October with a Timeline Weekend of Creation, Patriarchs, & Exodus. We will learn through the Bible from Creation to Exodus. You don't want to miss it!
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