INNITIATIVE
Seeing what needs to be done and doing it.
“WORK AT EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH ALL YOUR HEART. WORK AS IF YOU WERE WORKING FOR THE LORD.” ~ COLOSSIANS 3:23A
Week 1:
In our first week, we start at the beginning of Nehemiah’s story in Nehemiah 1:1–2:9. We discover that Nehemiah was working for King Artaxerxes when his brother brought news from the exiles living in Judah. When he heard about the devastation in Jerusalem, Nehemiah was heartbroken. He recognized the huge need, but before he did anything he prayed. Nehemiah knew that whatever he would do, he’d need God’s help to accomplish it.
Bottom Line: Be on the lookout for what needs to be done. Before you can do what needs to be done, you have to see what needs to be done. We hope the story from Nehemiah inspires kids to be more aware of the needs around them. These don’t have to be huge either. Our homes and schools are filled with opportunities where we can show initiative, we just have to be open to seeing them.
Week 2:
In week two, we find out what Nehemiah does with what he found out about the wall in Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 2:11-18 we see that he took initiative and set out to fix the wall. When no one else would step up, He went straight to King Artaxerxes and took action. And it’s that initiative that inspires the entire community to get involved.
Bottom Line: Don’t wait for someone else to do what needs to be done. When kids see something that needs to be done, they might think that someone else will take care of it. But what would happen if our kids saw it was possible for them to be part of the job? We want kids to realize that when they see what needs to be done, God might be telling them they can be the one to do it. And if they can’t do it all on their own, they can ask someone they trust for help.
Week 3:
In week three, we see a different part of Nehemiah’s story. In Nehemiah 5:1-12, we discover that while everyone was building the wall, an issue arose. Some of the Israelites were severely mistreating each other. Even though Nehemiah was in charge of rebuilding the wall, he stopped the building of the wall to confront the issue. He cared enough about the people to help them figure out a solution.
Bottom Line: Don’t wait for someone else to help people in need. When kids see people in need, we pray that they take initiative to help instead of thinking it is someone else’s problem. God can use them along with the trusted adults in their life to make an impact in the lives of others.
Week 4:
In week four, we see how Nehemiah dealt with some distractions in Nehemiah 2:19-20, 4, and 6. Not everyone liked what Nehemiah was doing. He had enemies who tried to distract the people from finishing the wall. But he saw through their plan and stayed focused on the job God gave him to finish.
Bottom Line: Stay focused on what needs to be done. From cleaning their rooms to finishing their homework, kids have all sorts of things that need to be done. But it often doesn’t take long for cleaning a room to become playing with the toys you’re supposed to be picking up. We hope kids will see that focusing on the task at hand is important. God has all sorts of jobs for us to do. We can trust Him to give us the focus we need to finish them.
Week 5:
In our final week, we head to Nehemiah 3–4, 6:15- 16, and 8:1-17 and read that God helped Nehemiah and the people finish the wall in only 52 days! They were able to celebrate all that God had done for them, not only during those 52 days but also throughout their history as His people. They heard God’s word and remembered how God had been faithful to them. They had a lot to be thankful for!
Bottom Line: Look for ways to celebrate what God has done. When we realize that God is doing amazing things in our lives, we can’t help but give Him thanks. We pray that throughout this month looking at Nehemiah’s story, kids will see how God helps them each and every day. We hope they learn to celebrate God’s continued work in their lives.
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