milk & honey mamas

Story contributed by Kristen

Click here for the theological background of Matthew 24-25; Mark 12-13; and Luke 21

Remember, repetition helps children internalize and make connections. It might be a good idea to read the same story every day for a week. You can add different activities every day.

“Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

Matthew 25:45

Jesus noticed that some of his followers were getting annoyed with all of the people who came to him needing help. Leave him alone, the followers wanted to say, he is busy doing important things. Jesus could see that his followers wanted to do the right thing, but they didn’t quite understand. So he sat down with them one day, and he said, “imagine when we meet again, after this life on earth.” They looked around at each other, and maybe they wondered who was the most important among them, or the most righteous, or who Jesus would be most excited to see. 

“I will welcome you,” Jesus said, and he paused. “I will welcome you because you saw me in the world around you.” He waited for a moment. His disciples looked confused.

But Jesus, they were thinking, you’re right here! How can we see you in the world around us? What do you mean?

Jesus tried again.

I will say, “I was hungry, and you fed me. I was sick, and you stayed with me. I was thirsty, and you gave me water. I was lonely, and you were my friend. I had no clothes, and you gave me your coat.” 

His disciples were still confused. Finally, Mary spoke up. “But Jesus,” she said, “when did we see you hungry, or sick, or thirsty, or lonely, or naked?”

Jesus reached out, and took Mary’s hand. Then he turned around and pointed at a woman on the corner of the street. She looked exhausted. Her clothes were worn out, and her eyes were closed. “Right there,” said Jesus. “That’s me. I am every hungry, sick, tired, sad, wounded, grieving person. I am every thirsty child, and every prisoner, and every lost one.”

Mary’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at the woman on the corner of the street. Jesus saw that she was beginning to understand. He turned to all of his disciples.

“I came to earth to be one of you. I know what it is to be a person. To be sad, and tired, and hungry, and thirsty, and angry. I will not forget, and you shouldn’t either. Being a person is the most wonderful, beautiful thing. It is also the hardest thing.”

The disciples were watching Jesus, trying with all of their hearts to understand.

“You are not separate from her,” he said, looking again at the woman on the street corner. “We are all one people, one human people. We are connected to each other, and we share sadness and happiness.” 

Jesus looked into his disciples’ faces, smiling at each one of them.

“So showing compassion to someone, even someone small or dirty or smelly or different from you, is like showing compassion to me. And that is God’s dream for us. To be one people, a people who love each other, and care for each other, and lift each other up.”

John spoke up, his voice a bit unsure. “So, is that what you mean, about loving your neighbor?”

Jesus smiled. “Yes, my friend,” he replied. “That is what I mean.”

Then Jesus got up, and he walked over to the woman on the street corner, and he knelt down, and he started to talk.

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Another day, Jesus was at the Temple talking to his friends and anyone else who wanted to listen. 

There were many powerful people there that day, people who wanted to show everyone how good and righteous and wise they were.

They came gliding in, their robes billowing and their hair slicked back and their jewels glittering in the sunlight. They opened their expensive purses and showed off the silver and gold coins filling them right to the brim. Then they poured their coins—making a lot of noise and fuss and hullabaloo—into the treasury reserved for helping those in need. They looked around to make sure everyone saw their good deeds. They smoothed back their hair, and loudly fastened up their purses, and walked off with their chins in the air.

Jesus watched them, a small smile on his face.

Soon after, a woman came in. She was very small, and she was bent over with age, like her back was bending toward the earth. Her hair was white, and her skin wrinkled and old. She walked slowly, keeping out of the way. When she got to the treasury, she stopped. She reached into the folds of the scarf around her head and neck, and pulled out a single coin. She looked at it for a moment, and then very quietly, she placed it into the treasury. Without a word, she turned around, and walked slowly away.

Jesus stood still as stone, watching the woman. He watched her walk out of the Temple and into the busy street. Then he walked over to the treasury and looked inside. His disciples followed him, wondering what was going on.

Jesus looked at the small coin the woman had given. When he looked up at his friends, his eyes were filled with tears.

“She has given more than anyone else here,” he said in a soft voice. 

His disciples looked at him, surprised. 

“Rabbi,” they said, “she gave only one mite!”

“Yes,” said Jesus, “but it was all she had. Others gave from their plenty. They have money to spare and will not miss what they donated today. But she gave everything she had. She gave because she wanted to. She gave because she is full of love.”

Jesus’ eyes had a far-away look, like he was picturing the woman in his imagination, watching her little coin drop into the treasury again.

“She understands,” he said, “that the meaning of everything is love.”

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

Do it unto me

• Watch this short video about kindness

• Watch this video about helping others

• Watch this song about trying to be like Jesus

• Read books about helping others:

Each Kindness by Jaqueline Woodson 

All of Us by Carin Berger 

What is Given from the Heart by Patricia McKissack  

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig 

The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña 

How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham 

Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang 

• What are some ways your family can show love to those around you?

• How can we try to be like Jesus? Make a list of ideas!
  

The Widow’s Mite

• Act it out!

• What does it mean to give from the heart?

• What kinds of things do you/your family want to give or do?

• Read about the widow in Women in the New Testament

• Make a pouch out of paper or fabric to hold coins, and play (ideas here)

• Draw the story, or make a “book” with pictures of the story

Poetry

Compiled by Caroline

Below are two prayers focused on what it means to serve and to see another. The first prayer is simpler and might work better if your child has a shorter attention span, and the second is for those days when lingering on luscious phrases is possible. You might try reading one of these prayers over a meal, before your child goes to bed, or as your family prayer for the day to experience a different form of prayer. You could also discuss specific needs of others that you could pray for as a family or invite God to guide you to someone you can minister to. 

Prayer from Common Prayer for Children and Families 

God of love, gather all people as one human family. 

Guide our community, our country, and the world. 

Help us to be kind to all people, creatures, and the earth. 

Be with all people who are sad, in need, or any trouble. 

May all who have died rest in peace. 

For what else shall we pray? 

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Excerpt from “ A Liturgy Before Serving Others,” from Every Moment Holy Volume I

O Christ Who Made Himself the Servant of All, 

I would set my heart and my affections upon you—and upon you alone—for I can only serve others rightly when such service is undertaken from dieter to last as an act of devotion offered to you…

I would serve in imitation of you, who

Poured out your life for me. I would serve knowing that your spirit is ever at work in the lives of those I serve, ever calling, ever drawing, ever seeking to soften hearts encased in fear and disappointment and anger and idolatry. So let my kindnesses and sacrifice fall like warm shafts of sunlight on icy ground. 

I cannot know the end of another person’s story. Our lives so often only briefly intersect. So let me be content to minister regardless of visible outcomes, trusting that the small mercies I extend will be woven into the larger theme of redemption at work in the lives of others as you woo them to yourself, drawing their hearts by graces offered, and shaping my own heart too in this process of learning to serve well, and by learning to serve well, learning to love well. 

Amen. 

Art

Compiled by Caroline

Here is some background on this work from the Visual Commentary on Scripture (an incredible resource I highly recommend for engaging with the scriptures through art)

Can you find someone giving a drink to a man who is thirsty? Can you find someone giving a shirt to someone who doesn’t have clothes? Can you find someone visiting a person in jail? Can you find Jesus on his throne? What do you find in this painting that interests you? What do you like/not like about it? If you could visit a spot in this painting, where would you go? 

Where is the widow? In this painting we can’t see her face—what do you think it looks like? Why do you think the artist chose not to paint any faces on the people? Who do you think the other people in the painting are? What does this painting teach you about this story?

Where is the widow? What is she balancing on her head? Can you imagine balancing a basket on your head and holding a baby (maybe you could try this—with a doll instead of a baby, of course)? Was it difficult? Who do you think the other man is that’s dropping a coin? Are the coins different? What does this painting teach you about this story?

Where is the widow? Who do you think the other people are? What do you think it would feel like to have everyone watching to see how much money you offered? What do you think the woman is feeling? What colors do you see in this painting? What does this painting teach you about this story? Which painting of the widow’s mite did you like the most/least?

Music

Compiled by Caroline

Our music this week follows our theme of serving Jesus through serving others. 

Come, Follow Me

Lord, I Would Follow Thee

Two Shirts