Read the book of Ruth
Bible Basis: Ruth 1-4:17
Key Verse: “May the Lord reward you for what you have
done. May the God of Israel bless you richly” (Ruth 2:12).
Parent Tips:
Use the Table Talk questions to
start a discussion around the dinner table during the week. The Living Faith
activity is designed to show your family the benefits of being kind, even when
nobody knows about it. The Extra Mile will get your family involved in the life
of a child who’s having a difficult time.
Get the Point:
Preschool: Boaz and Ruth
were kind to others. I please God when I am kind.
Elementary: Boaz and Ruth are
kind to others. I please God when I am kind.
Middle
School: By loving God first, you can better love your family.
High
School: God calls us to go beyond ourselves to serve other people, even when it
appears that it won’t profit us.
Table Talk
Preschool/Elementary
• When
Naomi’s husband and sons died, why did she want to move to Bethlehem? (That’s
where she was from. She had family there and had heard the Lord was helping his
people.)
• Did
Naomi want Ruth and Orpah to come with her? (No, she encouraged them to go back
to their parents’ homes and marry different men.)
• Why did
Ruth stay? (She loved Naomi and wanted to serve her and her God.)
• How did
God bless Ruth’s actions? (He provided food for her and Naomi. He allowed her
to marry Boaz.)
• How
does God bless us when we do nice things for people?
Middle/High
School
• Boaz and Ruth’s relationship
teaches a lot about dating and the characteristics of a future spouse. What
first attracted Boaz to Ruth? (She was hard-working. He had heard about the
kindness she showed Naomi.)
• What attracted Ruth to Boaz? Was
it his awesome biceps? (No. He offered her protection by having her glean in
his field. He provided for her.)
• As parents, tell your children
what first attracted you to your spouse. Ask them what characteristics are most
important to them in a future mate.
• How does Boaz marrying and
redeeming Ruth mirror what Jesus did for us?
Living Faith
Have a kindness competition.
Depending on the ages of your children, you may have to make teams of two. If
every family member is old enough, make it an individual competition. The idea
behind this game is to show kindness to each other without expecting anything
in return. Ruth showed great love and kindness toward Naomi, even though she
couldn’t give her anything in return. In a similar way, Boaz showed amazing
kindness toward Ruth. God blessed both Ruth and Boaz for their actions.
Encourage
your family to show kindness to each other in tangible ways. Maybe it’s a kind
word or a back rub. Maybe it’s something done in secret. You can tape special
notes to the mirror in your kids’ bathroom. Your daughter can organize the
garage. Your son could offer to baby-sit for free or drive a younger sibling
somewhere without complaining. A child could clean up the family room or vacuum
without being asked. A husband could buy flowers for his wife. The ideas are
endless. At the end of a week, reconvene as a family and talk about what meant
the most. Discuss what it was like being the giver and what it was like being on
the receiving end of the kindness.
•
Did being kind to each other change any family dynamics?
•
What was the best part?
•
How can kindness and unconditional love be shown all the time?
•
How does intentionally showing kindness improve family relationships?
•
Read Ephesians 4:32. What does it teach about kindness and how we should treat
each other?
Extra Mile
Get
together as a family and look at the lives of your neighbors and your
children’s friends. Chances are you know another family that’s going through a
difficult time, whether it’s divorce, serious illness, job layoff or death. If
you can’t think of anybody who’s struggling, call your church and ask for the
name of a child who needs to feel loved and encouraged. Once you find a child
who’s going through a hard time, come up with a plan to show him love and
acceptance—just like Boaz showed Ruth love and acceptance. Invite this child
over for dinner. Offer to pick him or her up and pay for him to join a sports
team or club with your child. Bring her to the amusement park with your family.
Make him a consistent part of your family during a difficult time in his life.
Be Jesus with skin on for this child. Boaz changed Ruth’s life forever, and
your family can do the same thing!
_______________________________________________________________________
Story Part 10
Read 1 Samuel 1:1–2:2, 21; 3:1–10
When Hannah prayed for God to give her a son, she promised to give the son back to God. That little boy was Samuel, who grew up to be one of the greatest leaders God’s people ever had.
What is the hard part and the easy part about praying? What is the first prayer you would like to write in your journal?
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