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Making Room

Ava listened as her Sunday school teacher told the Christmas story. “Mary had a big tummy because Baby Jesus was almost ready to be born,” said Mrs. Keller. “But even with her big tummy, Mary and Joseph had to take a long trip, all the way to Bethlehem. Back then, there were no cars, buses, or planes—so Mary and Joseph had to walk the whole way.”

They must have been very tired when they finally arrived, thought Ava.

“Okay, class. Stand up,” said Mrs. Keller. “Let’s pretend to be Mary and Joseph.”

Ava and her class followed Mrs. Keller. They walked around the church, stopping every once in a while at a pretend door.

Knock, knock, knock. “Do you have room for us to stay?” the students asked.

But every time, Mrs. Keller said, “No! There is no room for you.”

Ava felt sad. Why wouldn’t anyone make room for Mary and Joseph? Why wouldn’t they make room for Baby Jesus?

“Mary and Joseph finally found a place to stay in a barn,” Mrs. Keller said when they returned to their classroom. “That’s where Jesus was born.” Ava’s grandpa had a barn, and she knew how cold and stinky it was. “Jesus came to earth that night because He loves us all so much,” Mrs. Keller said. “Have you heard Him knocking? Have you made room for Him in your heart—have you trusted Him as your Savior?”

I trust Him, Ava thought.

A couple weeks later, Ava’s parents said they had something important to talk about.

“Ava,” said Dad. “How do you feel about another child coming to live with us?” He explained that there were children in foster care who needed safe and loving places to live.

“We would like our home to be one of those places,” Mom said.

“It will be tricky,” said Dad. “You will have to share your toys and craft supplies, and you’ll have to share our time and attention too.”

Ava thought about her Sunday school lesson. She thought about Jesus being born in a stinky barn because He loved everyone so much. She’d made room for Him in her heart, and she knew He wanted her to make room for others too.

“Yes!” said Ava. “Let’s do it!”

How about you?

Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Making room for Him in your heart changes your whole life, because He fills you with love for others. How can you show others His love this Christmas? Maybe you can invite a new family over, make cards to take to a nursing home, or ask a neighbor to come to church with you. What other ideas do you have? Pray about it as a family, then do it!

Key Verse

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son…and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7 NKJV

Key Thought

Make room for Jesus.

Further Reading

Luke 2:1-7

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Credit Due

“Guess what, Mom?” Taylor yelled breathlessly, running up the driveway to where her mom was painting the window trim of their new house. “I got the lead part in the school play!”

“Oh, Taylor! That’s terrific!” Mom put her paintbrush down and hugged her daughter.

“Yeah,” said Taylor. “It’s about time my teachers notice how good at acting I am. Oh! We also got the results of our band tryouts today. I’m first chair flute! I did it!” Taylor danced around. “And I got an A on a tough math test too. This is the best day of my life!”

“Wow, honey! That’s great. But…” Mom motioned for Taylor to sit down beside her on the porch swing.

“What is it?” asked Taylor.

“You do so well in math, and you’re also very talented in music and drama,” said Mom. “But how much credit can you actually take?”

Taylor was puzzled. “How much credit can I…” Suddenly her face broke into a smile. “Oh, sorry, Mom! You helped me with the audition lines for the play, and Dad quizzed me in math. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Okay! Enough!” Mom laughed. “That’s not what I meant. Think about it this way—we’re enjoying our brand-new house, right? Well, if it could talk, should it be bragging about how well-built and beautiful it is?”

“Of course not!” Taylor giggled. “Dad should get the credit! He built it—well, him and the workers from his construction company.”

“So you think it would be ridiculous for the house to praise itself for its top-notch design and structure instead of giving credit to the builder?” Taylor nodded. “Well,” Mom continued, “the Bible says we are God’s workmanship. He’s the one who created us and gave us the talents we have—yet nothing we can do could ever compare to the great things He has done, like saving us from sin and changing people’s hearts. Sounds to me like He deserves the credit and praise, not us. What do you think?”

Taylor sighed. “You’re right, Mom. I need to give God the credit for the things I can do.”

How about you?

Do you give God credit for the things you can do? After all, He made you and gave you your talents and abilities. The Bible tells us not to boast (or brag) about anything except for the Lord, because He’s the one who created us and sent His Son, Jesus, to save us by dying on the cross for our sins. Everything good comes from Him. Thank Him for all He’s given you, and the next time you feel like bragging, brag about Him!

Key Verse

"In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever." Psalm 44:8 NKJV

Key Thought

Boast in the Lord.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 9:23-24; James 1:17; 3:13

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Just Like Sammy

“Sammy is so sweet!” whispered Hayden, gazing at her brand-new brother. As she watched the baby, Sammy stirred and opened his eyes. He waved chubby little arms in the air. “He’s so tiny!” Hayden said in awe. Then she frowned as the baby began to cry.

Mom came and leaned over the side of the crib. “Maybe it’s time for a change of position.” She turned Sammy on his side and gently patted his back. He soon stopped crying.

“I can’t wait till he’s big enough to play with me,” said Hayden. “But I guess that won’t be for a long time, huh?” She looked at Sammy thoughtfully. “Babies are pretty helpless, aren’t they, Mom? All they do is sleep and eat.”

Mom nodded. “Yes, but before you know it, he’ll be much bigger and will learn how to do all kinds of things.”

A little later, the baby began to cry again. “I think your brother is hungry,” said Mom. “It’s time for Sammy to eat.” She went to pick him up.

“Mom,” Hayden said after the baby was fed and once again fast asleep, “since it’s Christmastime, we’ve been learning about the things that happened when Jesus was born. He was helpless, just like baby Sammy, wasn’t He?”

“Yes, He was,” Mom replied. “You know, Jesus could have come to earth as a fully grown man or even as a mighty king if He wanted. But He didn’t—He chose to be born as a helpless baby, dependent on His family to take care of Him.”

“I wonder why?” said Hayden.

“Well, the Bible says Jesus humbled Himself—He didn’t come as a rich, important ruler, but in the form of a servant. The Bible also says Jesus is able to sympathize with us because He knows what it’s like to be human—He’s experienced things we do like feeling hungry or tired or sad. He even knows what it’s like to be tempted, even though He never sinned. I think we’re able to understand and trust Him more, knowing that He came to earth as a tiny baby, just like we did.” Mom smiled. “He did that for us because He loves us so much. Isn’t that great?”

Hayden smiled too and nodded as she glanced down at her baby brother.

How about you?

Do you realize how much Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a helpless baby? Christmas is a good time to thank Him for loving you so much that He was willing to do that for you. Thank Him for growing up as a human, facing the same temptations you face, and understanding all your needs and problems and questions. Thank Him for all He has done for you.

Key Verse

"There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 NKJV

Key Thought

Thank Jesus for coming as a baby.

Further Reading

Luke 2:8-14; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 4:15

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After-Christmas Cookies

Jenny slumped onto the couch. “I’m so bored!” In the few days since Christmas, she had been moping around the house with nothing to do.

“How about trying out your new basketball?” Mom suggested. “Or putting one of your new puzzles together.”

“I already did all that,” Jenny said.

Mom sighed. “All those Christmas toys and nothing to do?” Then she snapped her fingers. “I know! Come into the kitchen. We’re going to make cookies.” Jenny wasn’t sure she wanted to do that, but Mom insisted, and soon they were up to their elbows in flour.

“Mom, we made all kinds of cookies before Christmas—we even have some left. How come we’re still making cookies?” Jenny asked.

“Because we’re going to give them away,” Mom said. “You know that bored, letdown feeling you’ve had ever since Christmas ended? Other people may be feeling bored and let down too, especially shut-ins and people in nursing homes or hospitals. They had lots of attention before Christmas—carolers, visitors, programs, and so on. Now Christmas is over, and they may be lonely. Would you like to go and cheer them up?”

Jenny cracked a smile. “Okay, let’s do it. I’ll fix a nice box of cookies for them. It’ll be an after-Christmas present!”

When Jenny and her mom returned home that afternoon, Jenny’s eyes sparkled as she told her dad about their visit to the nursing home. “Everyone there was so glad to see us! And you know what? One man asked me why we were bothering with them after Christmas. I didn’t know what to say, so I just told him that Jesus loves him after Christmas too. He said he didn’t know much about that. Then Mom talked with him, and he decided to trust Jesus as his Savior! We’re going to go see him again—and all the other people too!”

“That’s wonderful!” Dad said. “You remind me of the shepherds in the story of Jesus’ birth. After seeing the baby Jesus, they went and told others about Him.” He reached for a Bible sitting on a nearby table. “Let’s read that story again together. Christmas may be over, but we should still remember how Jesus came to save us—and keep sharing His love with others.”

How about you?

Do you feel bored or let down after the festivities of Christmas are over? Many people do—especially those who don’t have family around them every day. Can you think of a way to share Jesus’ love with them? You could give someone a helping hand or make them an after-Christmas present. Let others know Jesus loves them every day of the year!

Key Verse

"After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child." Luke 2:17 NLT

Key Thought

Make Jesus known.

Further Reading

Luke 2:15-20

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When Love Is Difficult

Mom turned from the sink when she heard a door slam and feet running quickly down the stairs.

“Mom!” Alicia cried as she ran into the kitchen. “Candice is being mean to me, and she even said she hates Christmas!”

Alicia’s foster mom dried her hands. “I heard some loud voices up there and wondered what that was all about.”

“I wanted her to help me look for Christmas toys online,” Alicia explained, “but she just got mad and yelled at me.”

Mom poured Alicia a glass of water as they sat at the table. “Honey, Candice just moved into our house a month ago. She’s still having a hard time adjusting to the big changes in her life. You can remember what that’s like, can’t you?” Alicia shrugged as she drank her water. “Christmas can be a hard time for people,” Mom continued. “Instead of being a celebration, it can sometimes remind them of the people and things they have lost.”

“Oh, like Mrs. Jameson next door?” Alicia asked, remembering how they brought meals to their elderly neighbor after her husband had died.

“Yes, exactly,” Mom replied. “Mrs. Jameson is probably going to have a difficult Christmas this year missing Mr. Jameson. Maybe we can think of a way to show love to her.”

Alicia brightened. “She really likes my chocolate chip cookies! Could I make some for her?”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. How about you give some to Candice too?”

Alicia’s face clouded again. “But she was just so mean to me. Why should I make her cookies?”

Mom pointed to a plaque above the sink that read, People need loving the most when they deserve it the least. “Candice may not be acting very loving toward you, but that doesn’t change the fact that she needs our love. Wouldn’t we be in sad shape if Jesus only loved us when we deserved it?”

“Oh, I guess that’s true,” Alicia agreed. “Sharing chocolate chip cookies is a pretty small thing compared to how much Jesus loves me.”

Mom smiled. “That’s a great attitude, honey. You go ahead and get started on the cookies while I go upstairs and talk with Candice.”

So how about you?

Do you feel like you should only love people who are loving toward you? That’s not the way Jesus loves us—He showed us His love by coming to earth and dying for our sins when we least deserved it. This Christmas, look for ways to show love to people who might be sad or hurting and perhaps not acting in a loving way toward others. Be like Jesus and love others even when they don’t deserve it.

Key Verse

“A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV

Key Thought

Love one another.

Further Reading

John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-11

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Giving Back to God

“Come on, Angie,” Lanita said as she studied the Christmas list in her hand. “We’ve still got gifts to buy before we meet Mom by the Christmas tree. We have to be there in an hour. C’mon.”

“Coming,” Angie replied as she pulled her attention away from a man demonstrating a remote-controlled helicopter. She pointed to it, adding, “I think we should get that helicopter for Dad.”

Lanita shrugged. “Let’s see what else we can find first.”

They were still shopping for their dad’s gift when they met their Sunday school teacher and her daughter Brynley. Mrs. Kimble smiled and pointed to the bags the girls were carrying. “It looks like you’re doing some Christmas shopping.”

“Wow!” exclaimed Brynley. “You must have done a lot of work to earn enough money to buy all those presents! Or do your parents give you money for them?”

“We earned some of it,” said Angie. “But Mom and Dad gave us extra money to buy gifts.”

Brynley grinned. “So you’re probably buying your parents gifts with their own money,” she said. “That’s what I do too.”

In Sunday school the next day, Angie and Lanita grinned at each other when their teacher used them as an illustration. “Giving your parents gifts bought with money they gave you is a great example of giving to God,” she told the class. “Everything we have—life, time, talents, and our money and possessions—comes from God. Even our ability to do good things comes from Him, because we could never do good on our own—we need Jesus to give us His goodness. So God sent His Son to earth as the greatest gift of all. But sometimes we forget that everything we have really belongs to God. When we give Him our time or money or use our talents to do good for others, we’re only giving back what is rightfully His.”

Angie raised her hand. “Even though the money for my parents’ Christmas gifts comes from them, they still love to get gifts from me, and God does too, doesn’t He?”

“Yes, He does,” said Mrs. Kimble with a smile. “He loves it when His children joyfully give back out of love for all He’s given them.”

How about you?

Do you remember that all you have comes from God? Every gift you give Him came from Him in the first place, from the money you put in the offering plate to the time you spend helping others. Even the kindness and love you show others came to you through His best gift of all—Jesus! He gave you each of those gifts because He loves you, and He loves every gift you give Him in return.

Key Verse

"Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!" 1 Chronicles 29:14 NLT

Key Thought

All you have belongs to God.

Further Reading

1 Chronicles 29:10-14

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Guest of Honor

“We’re still at the mall, Mom,” Soren said, frustrated. “The car won’t start, and a guy from a garage across the street is working on it now. Dad says we’ll be there as soon as we can, but it’ll be a while. He said to tell you the show must go on, whatever that means.”

Mom knew what Dad meant. He was talking about the surprise birthday party they had planned for Soren. Dad had taken Soren shopping just to get him out of the house. The guests were in the living room now, waiting for him to come home. Mom knew Dad was telling her to go ahead with the games and food.

An hour later, Soren burst into the house. “Mom,” he called, “we’re home. You’ll never guess—”

“Surprise! Surprise!” his friends shouted, interrupting him. Soren was surprised!

“About time you got here,” said Patrick, one of the guests. “We were about ready to give your birthday presents to somebody else.”

“Nuh-uh! They’re Soren’s,” protested Soren’s sister, Penny. She slipped her little hand into her big brother’s. “It’s his birfday.”

“It’s okay, Penny. We wouldn’t give his gifts to anyone else,” Patrick assured her. He handed a present to Soren. “Here, open mine first.”

“Glad you finally made it, Soren” said another friend after Soren had opened all his gifts. “Your birthday party just wasn’t right without you.”

After all his guests were gone, Soren sat down to eat a piece of his birthday cake. “I wish I hadn’t missed the games, but at least the car was fixed in time for me to see everyone and open my presents.”

“I’m glad too,” said Mom. “As Penny says, it’s your ‘birfday,’ and a birthday celebration without the guest of honor—the birthday person—just isn’t worth much.”

“Happy birfday, Soren,” Penny said, grinning. She pointed to the nativity set on a nearby table. “And happy birfday, Jesus!”

Mom laughed. “Thanks for the reminder, Penny. With everything going on this time of year, it can easy for us to forget that we celebrate Jesus’s birthday at Christmas and how He became human so He could save us from sin. Let’s make sure He’s our guest of honor at Christmas and celebrate the wonderful gift of His birth.”

How about you?

Is Jesus the guest of honor in your Christmas celebration? Without Him, there would be no Christmas. In all the excitement of gifts, parties, and other Christmas events, don’t forget Jesus. As you go about your holiday activities, celebrate the gift of His birth. Jesus is God, but He became human so we could be saved through His death and resurrection. Now that’s something to celebrate each and every Christmas!

Key Verse

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 NKJV

Key Thought

Christmas honors Jesus’s birthday.

Further Reading

Luke 2:4-11

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The True Meaning of Christmas

Evelyn glared out the car window as Dad pulled into the parking lot. It was Christmas Eve, and working at a soup kitchen was not how she wanted to spend the afternoon. She and Mom always baked Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve, and Dad let her help build a fire in the fireplace, and then they’d all watch a Christmas movie together. But her parents decided they needed to start a new tradition this year—serving others in need. Evelyn sighed in frustration. She still had presents to wrap!

Evelyn got her serving assignment at the door and dragged her feet as she made her way over to a man stirring a big bowl of mashed potatoes. He smiled when he saw her. “Hi, I’m Doug,” he said, and he showed her how to dish out the gravy. Soon the main entrance was opened and people started streaming in. Doug smiled and talked with everyone as he served them potatoes, wishing them a merry Christmas. Evelyn just scooped the gravy, wishing there would be fresh-baked cookies waiting for her when she got home.

She was glad when it was finally time to leave. “Evelyn, I can’t believe you got to serve food next to Douglas Remington!” Mom said as they got in the car.

Evelyn looked at her mom in disbelief. “That was Douglas Remington? The guy who started that huge tech company?”

Mom nodded. “He’s a Christian, and he helps out at the soup kitchen a lot.”

“A good example of the meaning of Christmas, don’t you think?” said Dad. “Even though Douglas Remington could spend the holidays throwing lavish parties for his family and friends, he serves the hungry at a soup kitchen. Who else left their place of honor to help those in need?”

“Um…Jesus?” answered Evelyn.

“Right!” said Dad. “Jesus left the glory of heaven to become human and die for our sins so we could have eternal life with Him. That’s the true meaning of Christmas.”

When they got home, there were no cookies in the oven, no fire in the fireplace. But Evelyn thought it was the best Christmas Eve she’d ever had.

How about you?

Do you ever think about what Jesus gave up when He came to earth as a baby? Heaven was full of His glory and splendor, but He left all that to suffer and die so you could be saved and live with Him forever. Don’t pass up His offer of eternal life—He gave up everything to give it to you! Trust Him to save you. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Key Verse

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38 NKJV

Key Thought

Jesus left heaven to save you.

Key Thought

John 3:17; Hebrews 1:3-4; 2:9-11