This lesson teaches children that wise people listen to good advice, and that choosing friends who only tell us what we want to hear can lead us into trouble. It is designed for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Good leaders listen to wise people, and they choose kind words over harsh ones. When we ignore wise advice, we can make choices that hurt ourselves and others.
Memory Verse
2 Chronicles 10:7
They spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
(WEB)
Have the children stand and gently cup their hands in front of their chests as if holding something precious. As they say the verse together, slowly open their hands outward, showing how kindness spreads to others.
The Story: 2 Chronicles 10 for Kids
A young king named Rehoboam became the new leader of Israel. All the people gathered at a town called Shechem to make him king. They had a request, because the work his father Solomon had given them had been very hard and heavy.
Jeroboam, a man who had once fled to Egypt, came back and stood with the people. He said, “Your father made our work very hard. Please make it lighter, and we will serve you.” Rehoboam told them to come back in three days so he could think about it.
Rehoboam first asked the wise old men who had served his father for advice. They said, “If you are kind to these people and speak gently to them, they will be loyal to you forever.” But Rehoboam did not like that answer. He turned instead to the young men he had grown up with.
The young men gave him harsh advice. They told him to speak roughly and say that he would make their work even heavier. When the people came back, Rehoboam spoke harshly, just as his friends had told him to.
The people were angry. They said, “We will not follow you,” and they went back to their homes. Rehoboam ruled only over the people of Judah, and the people in the other tribes chose a different leader.
The chapter shows that Rehoboam’s choice to ignore wise counsel led to a divided kingdom. The Lord was working through these events, but Rehoboam’s own choices had real and sad results.
Read It Together
2 Chronicles 10:8
But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
(WEB)
Point out that Rehoboam chose to ignore the old men who had served his father. Ask the children why it might be important to listen to people who have more experience than we do.
2 Chronicles 10:14
And spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
(WEB)
Show how Rehoboam repeated the harsh words of his friends. Explain that words spoken in anger can hurt people and make problems much bigger.
2 Chronicles 10:16
When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So all Israel departed to their tents.
(WEB)
Note that the people felt unheard and left. Talk about how we feel when someone refuses to listen to us, and how we can make sure others feel heard.
Talk About It
- Who is someone you trust to give you good advice, and what makes them trustworthy?
- Why do you think Rehoboam chose to listen to his friends instead of the wise old men?
- How did the people feel when Rehoboam spoke harshly to them?
- What is a time when someone’s kind words helped you feel better?
- What can we do when we feel angry, so that we do not speak hurtful words?
Activity Ideas
Advice Hearts Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons, scissors, and glue. Have each child cut out a large heart and write or draw one piece of kind advice on it, such as “Listen to others” or “Speak gently.” Hang the hearts on a string across the room as a reminder of wise words.
Listen and Pass Game
Gather the children in a circle and whisper a short kind message into the ear of the child next to them. Have the message pass around the circle, then compare it with the original. Talk about how important it is to listen carefully and share words accurately.
Kind Words Card for Home
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Ask them to write one kind thing they can say to a family member this week, such as “Thank you for listening to me.” Encourage them to take the card home and share it with that person.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a sober reminder that leaders carry responsibility for how they treat the people under their care. Rehoboam’s decision to ignore wise counsel and listen only to those who told him what he wanted to hear is a warning that applies to every generation. The chapter also shows that God’s purposes unfold even through human failure, a truth that invites trust rather than despair.
Avoid suggesting to children that every disagreement with a leader is sinful, or that all hard choices lead to division. Children may take away the idea that they must always obey or always rebel. Help them see instead that listening carefully, speaking kindly, and seeking good counsel are the healthy habits the story highlights.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, help us to listen to wise people and to speak kind words to others. When we are angry, help us to pause and think before we speak. Thank you for loving us and for guiding us. Amen.
