ACTIVITY: Different but the Same
WHAT YOU NEED:
Nothing
What You Do
Read a set of three items from the list below, and challenge your child to figure out what those three items have in common. Continue through the other sets of items in the list.
picnic, card, pool (types of tables)
birthday, Pokémon, baseball (types of cards) yard, pogo, chop (types of sticks)
brown, black, grizzly (types of bears)
skunk, nose, garbage (things that smell)
elephant, car, tree (things that have trunks)
Swiss cheese, doughnut, bowling ball (things that have holes)
ballet, tennis, running (types of shoes)
Talk about the Bible Story
In our game, what did we find out about all those things that seemed so different from each other? (They also had things in common.)
Is that also true about people?
In today’s story, who was the hero who stopped to help the hurt man? (the Samaritan)
What made the hurt man and the Samaritan different from each other? (At that time, Jewish people and Samaritans didn’t get along.)
Did that stop the Samaritan from helping the hurt man? (no)
How can you be kind to someone who’s different from you?
Parents, share about a time when someone who was different from you did something kind for you.
Prayer
Use this prayer as a guide, either after your discussion or right before bed tonight:
“Dear God, thank You for this story Jesus told. It reminds us that we should be kind to people who are different from us. Please show us how we can act with love and kindness to EVERYONE we see—not just people who think, talk, or act the way we do. We love You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”