- 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, in a busy city full of tall buildings and buzzing streets, there was a basketball team called the Court Kings. They played on a shiny outdoor court, dribbling and shooting hoops like champs. Trey was the team captain, and he loved being the leader. He’d call out, “Pass it here!” and everyone followed his moves. But then a new player named Kai joined the team. Kai could dunk the ball like a superhero, and all the kids cheered for him. Even Nia, who used to be Trey’s best buddy, started high-fiving Kai after every game.
Trey’s heart started feeling all wobbly and green with jealousy, like a sour apple. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Trey’s envy made him frown instead of smile. He didn’t want Kai to be the star, and he didn’t like Nia cheering for him. So, Trey cooked up a sneaky idea.
One sunny day, Trey told Kai a big whopper. “Nia said I’m the real king of the court, not you!” he bragged, hoping Kai would get mad and quit. It was like setting a trap, just like Proverbs 26:27 warns: “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.” Trey thought his trick would keep him on top, but oh no, it didn’t go that way!
Kai’s eyes got big. “For real?” he asked, confused. He liked Nia’s friendship, but Trey’s words made him upset. Kai marched over to Trey on the court. “That’s a lie!” he shouted. The two boys started arguing loud enough for the whole team to hear. “I’m the best!” Trey said. “No way, I am!” Kai yelled back. They pushed and shoved, getting too close to the edge of the court.
Then—WHOOSH!—they tripped over a pile of old sneakers and fell hard onto the concrete! The team gasped. Trey scrambled up, rubbing his elbow, but Kai didn’t get up. His leg was hurt bad, and the coach ran over. The grown-ups took Kai to get help, but he couldn’t play basketball for a long time. Everyone felt sad, and the court got quiet.
Trey sat on the bench, his shoes scuffed, and his heart felt like a big rock. He didn’t mean for Kai to get hurt. His jealousy and his sneaky trap didn’t make him a winner—it made a big mess. Proverbs 27:4 says, “Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” Trey learned that jealousy doesn’t help you shine. It dims everyone’s light.
After that, Trey decided to be real. He told the truth and worked hard to be a good teammate, not a jealous one. The Court Kings played again, missing Kai but cheering for each other. They remembered to build each other up, not trip each other up. And the city court stayed loud with laughter, teaching them all to pick kindness over tricks.
Changed to urban-inspired names like Trey, Kai, and Nia, avoiding Jamal or Arabic-sounding ones.
Switched to basketball, a sport with strong ties to Black communities, replacing rowing.
Moved to an urban city court instead of a river, keeping it relatable.
Adjusted the accidental death to an injury (hurt leg), making it less intense for young kids while keeping the lesson intact.
Trey’s jealousy made him act mean, and it hurt Kai and the team. It’s better to cheer for your friends!
Trey’s trick didn’t work out like he wanted—it just caused trouble. Being honest is the way to go!
The story shows that lifting each other up makes the whole team stronger, like a slam dunk!
