Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: John 21:15-17

“Why do we have to do this?” Grayson pinched his nose as he eyed his uncle’s barn.

“We’re helping out for a few days,” Mom said. “Come on, the sheep are waiting.”

Grayson dragged his feet as they walked over to the barn. Mom led the way to a pen of dirty, wooly sheep. She held out a handful of dry food, and all the animals raced over to her.

“You’re going to let them eat off your hand?” Grayson made a face.

Mom giggled as one of the sheep ran its thick tongue over her hand. “It’s actually fun.” She glanced back at Grayson. “If you don’t want to feed them, you can get them water. We need to take care of them to help your uncle while he’s recovering from surgery.”

“Uncle Bill’s never done anything for us,” Grayson muttered as he turned away.

Grayson filled a bucket with water and carried it to the sheep’s pen. He tried to pour it carefully into their trough, but it still splashed, and he let out a scream as dirty water got on his legs.

“You can shower when we get home,” Mom said. She smiled as one of the sheep stuck its nose in the trough. “Did you know that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, all in a row?”

Grayson’s forehead wrinkled. Why was his mom suddenly bringing up a Bible story?

“Each time Peter said that he did, Jesus told him to care for His sheep.”

“Jesus had sheep?” Grayson stared at his mom.

“He didn’t mean actual sheep,” Mom said. “He meant people that He died on the cross to save. People like me and you. People like your uncle Bill.”

Grayson sighed. “So by caring for Uncle Bill’s sheep, we’re caring for Jesus’s sheep too?”

Mom nodded. “Caring for Uncle Bill’s sheep shows that we love him, and it shows that we love Jesus too. He loves Uncle Bill and wants us to show him His love by helping him.”

Grayson looked at the dirty animals before reaching for his mom’s bucket of feed. “If this shows that I love Jesus, okay.” He grabbed a handful of food. When he held it out and the sheep moved from his mom to him, he couldn’t help but smile.

–Emily Acker

How about you? How often do you do something for someone simply because you want to show them God’s love? Jesus says that when we care for others and show them the same kind of love He has shown us, we’re doing those things for Him (Matthew 25:31-40). Is there someone who you could do something for today to cheer them up and show them God’s love?

Today’s key verse: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: Show love by caring for others

Read: Psalm 119:41-48

“Ouch!” grumbled Ember one morning as she yanked the brush through her thick hair.

“You could cut your hair, you know, or wear braids at night,” said her older sister Paige, who was propped up in bed with her Bible.

“Well, right now I just want to get it untangled!” Ember gritted her teeth as she pulled on the brush.

“Let me help.” Paige took the brush and started working on the snarls. “You should have strong arms after doing this so much,” she said as she attacked another section of hair. “Am I pulling too much?”

“No more than I do.”

After a few minutes, Paige put the brush on the dresser. “That should do it! Now I’d better finish untangling my head before I have to get ready for school.” She picked up her Bible again.

“What do you mean, untangle your head?” Ember asked as she stuffed books into her book bag. “Your hair doesn’t get in knots like mine does.”

“My hair doesn’t get in knots, but my mind does,” said Paige. “Sometimes I get really worried about things. Then I have trouble concentrating on schoolwork and other things I have to do throughout the day.”

“So how do you untangle it?” asked Ember. “A brush untangles hair. What untangles minds?”

“The Bible helps me. I make sure I read some verses from it every day,” replied Paige. “My thoughts seem to get tangled up all by themselves—just like your hair does—but reading God’s Word helps me remember that Jesus loves me and died for me and that He promises to be with me in every situation. Getting His Word into my mind helps me straighten out my thinking.”

“Maybe I should try that too.” Ember heaved her book bag to her shoulder. “But since my bus comes so early, doing it after school or before bed would work better for me.” She looked around. “Where’s my sweater?”

“Over there.” Paige pointed to the corner. “You’re right, Ember. You should try reading some Bible verses every day. Untangling your thoughts is even more important than untangling your hair!”

–Miriam K. Nowak

How about you? Do your thoughts get all mixed up sometimes? Do you worry about school, friends, or what’s going on at home? Pick up your Bible and let God’s words speak to your heart. They’ll remind you of how much Jesus loves you and His promise to always be with you. Get your thoughts untangled by focusing on the truth of God’s Word.

Today’s key verse: You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Today’s key thought: Get God’s Word into your mind

Read: Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27

Isaac watched as baby Eloise blinked, nodded, and finally closed her eyes. When he was sure she was asleep, he looked at his mom in the rearview mirror. “Mom? Do you think heaven is gonna be—I don’t know—boring?”

Mom glanced at him. “What makes you say that?”

Isaac squirmed. “Well, everyone’s always talking about how great heaven will be, but it sounds like all we’ll be doing is singing like we do in church. I like church okay, but I don’t think I’d want to be there all the time. I’d miss pizza and basketball and stuff like that. I like it here!”

Suddenly Eloise jumped in her sleep and cried out, and Isaac reached over to pat her hand.

“Do you suppose Eloise was thinking something like that three months ago?” Mom asked.

Isaac was puzzled. “How could she? She’s only two months old!”

“Yes, but she was alive before she was born, you know. Maybe she liked being in my stomach, where she was warm and comfortable and never hungry. If someone asked her if she wanted to be born and be part of a new world, she might have said no.”

“If she did that, she’d be missing out!” Isaac said.

“I agree. We couldn’t even begin to describe the sights, sounds, and tastes to her. And I think it’s the same with us. We can’t imagine how wonderful it will be to see Jesus in heaven or what it will be like when He restores all of creation one day and makes everything new. All we know is that it will be a perfect world free from sin, pain, and death.”

“So, if Jesus is making the whole world new again, do you think there will be pizza and basketball?”

Mom laughed. “Maybe! All I know for sure is that we’ll be with Jesus, and there’s nothing better than that. He’s always with us now, of course, but there we’ll see Him face-to-face.”

“Kind of like how Eloise could hear your voice when she was in your stomach, but she couldn’t see your face until she was born?”

“Exactly,” said Mom. “Jesus wants us to enjoy our time on earth now, but being with Him in heaven will be so much better. It won’t be boring at all!”

–Susan S. Arcand

How about you? Do you wonder what heaven will be like? Are you afraid some of the things you love now won’t be there? We don’t know exactly what heaven will be like, but we know there won’t be any sin, pain, or death. The new earth Jesus has promised us will be a wonderful place where we will live with Him forever. It will be better than anything we can imagine!

Today’s key verse: In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Heaven will be great

Read: Philippians 2:12-18

“David, can you hold the door open for me?” Dad called. But David and Abby were too busy fighting over which video game to play to hear him. “David!” Dad called again.

“Yeah?” David looked up, startled.

“Please hold the door open so I can bring the ladder inside. I need to change a lightbulb.”

“Why do I always have to help you? Why can’t Abby do it? She never has to help.”

“I didn’t ask your sister. I asked you,” Dad said firmly.

David sighed but got up and held the door. As Dad set up the ladder and climbed the metal rungs, Abby and David started fighting again.

“Abby! David!” Dad called down. “What is this?” He held up the burned-out lightbulb he’d unscrewed from the light fixture.

David shrugged, and Abby rolled her eyes. “It’s a dead lightbulb,” she answered, glaring at her brother. “Duh!” David pulled back his arm like he was thinking of hitting his sister.

“Abby! That’s enough. David, don’t touch your sister. Yes, a broken bulb. What do you hear?” Dad descended the ladder and shook the bulb.

“Broken pieces rattling around,” David said, still scowling.

Dad nodded. “When we complain and argue, we’re like this broken light bulb. It has broken pieces clanging around and is no longer serving its purpose. Complaining and arguing make a clanging noise too. They show there is brokenness—sin—in our hearts. Our purpose as people saved by Jesus is to let the light of His love shine through us. But complaining and arguing show that we’re focused on ourselves instead of trusting Him and loving others.”

Abby and David were silent and looked down.

“Abby, hand me that new bulb, please,” Dad said. Abby quietly handed him the new bulb. Dad started back up the ladder.

“Dad?” David asked. “If we’re like broken bulbs, does that mean we can never shine again?”

Dad started twisting in the new bulb. “The good news, David, is that Jesus always makes us shine, even though we sin. And when we do something wrong that makes us rattle and clang, we can ask Him to forgive us. He fixes our broken pieces and we become like new.”

Dad came back down the ladder and flipped the switch on the wall. The new bulb shone brightly and lit the whole room.

–Pearl Allard

How about you? Do you argue with your brothers and sisters? Do you complain when a parent or teacher asks you to do something? Complaining and arguing expose sin in our hearts. If those things have been clanging around your life lately, ask Jesus to forgive you and replace them with thankfulness and love. Then live out the purpose He’s given you and shine for Him!

Today’s key verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you will be blameless and pure…[as] you shine like lights in a dark world. Philippians 2:14-15 (ERV)

Today’s key thought: Don’t complain or argue

Read: Luke 10:25-37

The screen door slammed behind Oliver as he bounded down the steps of his house. Humming, he headed toward the barn to feed the chickens.

Buck buck buck buck-AHHHH! squawked Omelet, Benedict, Scrambled, and Dippy as they raced around the corner of the barn. Omelet nibbled at Oliver’s fingers. “I’m not your supper, you crazy bird!” he said with a laugh.

Mom was turning the TV volume up when Oliver returned to the house. A news correspondent was reporting on a hurricane in another part of the country while wind and rain whipped around him.

“I’m standing on what used to be one of the main roads here,” he shouted above the blustery weather. “Now the road has turned into a river. Behind me, you can see families leaving all they own behind to get to safety. Flooding is expected to get worse before it gets better.”

That night, Oliver could hardly sleep. He kept thinking of all the kids he saw on TV who had to leave their homes and everything they had.

During family devotions the next morning, Dad read from the book of Mark.

“What does ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ mean?” Oliver asked his parents.

“It means we should help those in need, even if they don’t live next door,” Mom explained. “Doing that shows others the love of Jesus, who left heaven and came to earth to save us from sin. He sacrificed His life so we could have a relationship with Him, and we can show that same kind of love to others, no matter who or where they are.”

“How can I do that?” Oliver asked.

“The best thing you can do is pray,” Dad said. “You can also share things like your allowance or your time.”

Oliver thought about his chickens. “Can I use the money I’m making from selling eggs to help the kids in the hurricane?”

Mom smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”

The late afternoon sun washed over Oliver as he collected eggs later that day. He closed his eyes, basking in the warmth. Please, Lord, he prayed, help the kids who have lost everything in the hurricane. And help me use the money from these eggs to show them Your love.

–Kelly Hope

How about you? Do you know someone who needs help from a neighbor? In the Bible, a neighbor isn’t necessarily someone who lives on the same street as you—or even in the same country. It’s a person Jesus loves, and that’s everyone! Helping a neighbor in need can be as simple as inviting someone to play with you or praying for someone far away. How else can you show God’s love to your neighbors?

Today’s key verse: Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: Love your neighbor