Learning to Copy

[bluidkiti]

Learning to Copy

SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 2:19-25

THE STORY FOR TODAY:

Erica bowed her head and closed her eyes to pray, just as she always did before eating her lunch at school. When she opened her eyes, her lunch bag had disappeared. Quite a number of the children were watching her and snickering. Erica sighed. "Who has my lunch?" she asked. "Will you please give it back to me?" At that, several of the kids burst into laughter.

"Ask God where your lunch is, Miss Christian," said Rob. "You always talk to Him, don't you?"

Mrs. Yates, the lunchroom teacher, walked up. "The person who has Erica's lunch will hand it over right now," said Mrs. Yates sternly. She paused. "I said now," she repeated. Rob hesitated and then pulled a hand out from under the table. Erica's lunch bag was in it, and he handed it to her. She quietly took it.

When Erica arrived home, she told her mother what had happened. "I was so embarrassed, Mom," she said. "Not all the kids in my class make fun of me, but some of them call me 'Miss Christian' all the time. I just don't know how to act when they're mean to me. I really felt like swatting Rob today-and some of the other kids, too-but I didn't."

"Do you remember what Jesus did when He was persecuted?" asked Mom.

"Well . . . the Bible says He didn't fight or talk back," replied Erica.

Mom nodded. "Follow His example," she advised. She paused, then asked, "Do you remember the papers you used when you were learning to write? There were letters and words printed on the top line. They were your example for learning to write your letters. You copied them the best you could."

"And now Jesus is my example for how to act when the kids tease me, right?" asked Erica thoughtfully. "I'm to copy Him." She sighed. "But I'm not perfect, like He is."

"No, but think about how your letters looked when you first started copying them," suggested Mom. "Your writing now is much more like the letters at the top than it was when you started. And as you follow Jesus' example, you'll become more and more like Him."

MEMORY VERSE:

Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. 1 Peter 2:21

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has anyone made fun of you for being a Christian? How did you react? Were you angry or spiteful? Or did you quietly "take it"? The next time someone teases you for praying in public or for speaking up for Jesus, ask yourself, "How would Jesus act if He were in my place?" When you copy Him, you let others see Jesus in you. They may even want to know what makes you different-why you don't react in anger. They may want to know more about Jesus.

THE KEY: Copy Jesus
Keys for Kids Daily Devotional