- Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Once upon a time, there was a kind and wonderful King who ruled over a big, beautiful land. This King wasn’t like other kings who wore fancy crowns or sat on tall thrones all day. No, this King loved his people so much that he walked among them, helping them when they were sad, feeding them when they were hungry, and even playing with the children in the fields.
The people in the land weren’t always good, though. Sometimes they forgot to say “thank you” to the King. Sometimes they argued or didn’t share their toys. And sometimes they made big messes and didn’t know how to clean them up. The King saw all this, and it made his heart sad—not because he was mad, but because he wanted them to be happy and safe.
One day, a big, dark shadow came over the land. It was a tricky shadow that whispered to the people, “You don’t need the King! Do whatever you want!” The shadow made the people feel lost, and they started to wander far away from the King’s love. The messes got bigger, and the people couldn’t fix them on their own.
The King knew he had to do something big to save his people. He decided to give up everything—even his own life—to push the shadow away. He went to a hill with a wooden cross, and there he let the shadow take him instead of the people. It was a hard day, and the sky turned dark, but the King didn’t give up. He said, “I love you all so much. This is for you.”
Three days later, something amazing happened. The King came back! He wasn’t gone forever like everyone thought. He was stronger than the shadow, and he smiled at his people and said, “I’m here with you always. Just love me and love each other, and the shadow can’t win.”
The people cheered and hugged each other. They finally understood how much the King loved them. From then on, they tried harder to be kind, to share, and to say “thank you” to the King every day
The King in the story is like God, who loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us. When we make mistakes, God doesn’t stop loving us. He gave everything to help us be close to Him again. We can love God back by being kind to others, saying thank you, and remembering how special His love is.
“Dear God, thank You for loving me so much. Thank You for sending Jesus to save me, even when I make mistakes. Help me to love You with all my heart and to be kind to everyone I meet. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”
