This lesson teaches children that God gives every person a special gift and a special calling, and that we can love and serve Him right where He has placed us. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. Adapt the reading level for younger or older children as you go.
Big Idea
God gives each of us our own gifts, and we can love Him and help others wherever He has put us. We do not have to be someone else to please God.
Memory Verse
1 Corinthians 7:17
Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.
(WEB)
Teach the children to hold both hands out in front of them, then bring them together on the word “walk.” Have them march in place while they say the verse together, twice, slowly and then fast. The motion ties the word “walk” to living each day where God has placed you.
The Story: 1 Corinthians 7 for Kids
A man named Paul wrote a letter to the friends in the church at Corinth. Some of them had written to Paul with questions about marriage, being single, and how to live as followers of Jesus. Paul wanted to help them think clearly about these things.
Paul told them that God gives different gifts to different people. Some people are married, and some people are not. Some people are called to serve Jesus in one way, and others in another way. Paul said that each person should stay faithful in the place God has put them, instead of worrying that they must become someone else.
Paul also reminded them that they belonged to Jesus. He said, in his own simple way, that each person had been bought with a price, so no one should become a slave to other people’s opinions. Our first loyalty belongs to the Lord who loves us.
Paul wanted the friends in Corinth to focus on what matters most. He told them that the time is short, and that they should use their days to please God. Whether they were busy with work, family, or ordinary chores, they could still love God and care for others.
At the end of the letter, Paul said that every person can walk with God in the life they have been given. He did not tell them to compare themselves to others. He told them to trust God and keep following Him, one day at a time.
Read It Together
1 Corinthians 7:7
Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.
(WEB)
Point out that Paul says each person has a gift from God, and that the gifts are different. Ask the children to name a gift they think God has given them, and remind them that every gift matters, even the ones that are not seen.
1 Corinthians 7:20-22
20 Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called being a bondservant? Don’t let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it. 22 For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord’s free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s bondservant.
(WEB)
Show the children that Paul encourages each person to stay in the place where God called them. Explain that Paul also talks about freedom in Christ, which is a gift no one can take away. Keep the focus on faithfulness and God’s care, not on any one job or role.
1 Corinthians 7:23-24
23 You were bought with a price. Don’t become bondservants of men. 24 Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God.
(WEB)
Point out that we were bought with a price, meaning Jesus paid for us. Explain that because we belong to Him, we can stay close to Him wherever we are. Remind the children that God is with them in every season of life.
Talk About It
- What is one gift you think God has given you, and how can you use it this week?
- Why do you think God gives different gifts to different people?
- How can you show love to God in the place where you are right now, like at home or at school?
- What does it mean to you that Jesus paid a price to make you His own?
- When might you feel tempted to wish you were someone else, and what could you say to God in that moment?
Activity Ideas
Gift Portrait Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask them to draw a picture of themselves doing something they enjoy, such as helping a sibling, reading, or playing a sport. Let them write one word under the picture that names a gift God has given them. Display the drawings on a wall so everyone can see how God made each person differently.
Stay Where You Are Relay
Mark two start lines on the floor with tape or string, about ten steps apart. Divide the children into two teams. Each child takes a turn carrying a small cup of water from one line to the other, without spilling. Afterward, talk about how each child stayed faithful to their task. Explain that God calls us to be faithful where we are, one step at a time.
Take-Home Gift Card
Cut index cards in half and give each child one. Have them write “God gave me” at the top, then finish the sentence with a gift they noticed this week. Ask them to tape the card to the bathroom mirror or the inside of their bedroom door. Encourage them to read it each morning as a reminder that God has given them something special to share with others.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter addresses practical questions about marriage, singleness, and the believer’s calling in a city where many people were under pressure to live in certain ways. Paul’s main point is that each Christian should live faithfully in the situation God has given, with undivided devotion to the Lord. Adults can take encouragement that no one’s life is worthless because it looks different from someone else’s.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the chapter’s specific teaching on marriage, divorce, and singleness, which is complex and meant for mature readers. Keep the focus on God’s love, the idea of gifts from God, and faithfulness in our calling. Let the older children ask questions, and direct them to a trusted pastor or parent for deeper discussion.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Jesus, thank you for the gifts you have given each of us. Help us to love you and serve others right where you have placed us today. Help us not to compare ourselves to our friends, but to trust that you know what is best for each one of us. We belong to you, and we are glad. Amen.
