Scripture: 2 Samuel 6-9 and I Chronicles 13-17
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth who was disabled.
- Students will learn about how to treat people who are often overlooked with kindness.
Guiding Questions: How can students learn to think about sharing love to those who are often overlooked?
Materials: Paper, drawing utensils, baked goods, goodie bags
Procedure: Review the story of The Ark Returns, focusing on Mephibosheth. Explain that God wants us to seek out and serve those who are unseen in our world or whom we would be expected to treat poorly. David would have been expected to kill Mephibosheth or at least ignore his existence, because in that society Mephibosheth would have been considered a threat to David’s rule. Mephibosheth was also disabled physically and people with disabilities were often treated very badly at the time. David, however, sought out to find Mephibosheth and treated him extremely well. By allowing Mephibosheth to sit at his table, David was basically saying he was like another son to him.
Introduce the activity. Discuss with students who some of the “unseen” people in our world are. Then ask them to identify people in their lives who are invisible to others and maybe even to them. You may want to point out people like the school custodian or nurse or children who are not included in conversations or free time activities by the other children at school. Help students think of ways to remember to notice and serve these people. You may want to make little goodie bags and notes of encouragement they can share with someone in the coming way.
Additional Questions: How can students serve those who may be overlooked in their church?
Supplemental Activities: Have the students think about people in their congregation who have jobs working “behind the scenes”. Have the students plan for a way to serve them and show them kindness, thanking them for their work.