This lesson teaches children that God wants us to be honest, fair, and kind, even when everyone around us is doing the opposite. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, a short discussion, and one activity.
Big Idea
God wants us to do what is fair and kind, even when the crowd is doing something wrong. He sees everything we do and cares about how we treat others.
Memory Verse
Exodus 23:2
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.
(WEB)
Teach the children to hold both hands out flat, then turn them to face the ground, pushing them down slowly. Each time they say “don’t follow the crowd,” they can stand tall and step to one side, like someone choosing their own path.
The Story: Exodus 23 for Kids
God gave His people many rules to help them live well together after they left Egypt. He told them to be honest, so they should never tell a lie that could hurt someone. A man named Moses listened carefully as God explained how the people should treat each other.
God said, “Do not follow a crowd to do wrong.” Sometimes a whole group of people might be doing something mean, but that never makes it right. The people were asked to be brave and stand for what is good, even when it felt hard.
God also told them to be kind to people who were in trouble. If someone’s donkey had fallen down under a heavy load, they were to stop and help, even if that person was not their friend. God wanted His people to care for animals and for people in need.
God cared about strangers too. He reminded the people that they had once been strangers in Egypt, so they should never treat a stranger badly. He said, “Do not mistreat a foreigner, for you know how it feels to be a foreigner.” Everyone deserved to be treated fairly.
God also asked His people to rest. Each seventh day was a gift, a time for the workers, the animals, and everyone in the household to be refreshed. God promised to take care of His people as they obeyed Him and trusted Him.
Read It Together
Exodus 23:4-5
4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. 5 If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him, you shall surely help him with it.
(WEB)
Point out that God’s people were told to help even an enemy’s animal that was lost or stuck. Ask the children how they might show kindness to someone they do not like, and let them know that God cares about that kind of love.
Exodus 23:8
“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
(WEB)
Explain that a bribe is a gift given to make someone do something unfair. Help the children see that taking a bribe can make a person stop seeing what is right, so God warns against it.
Exodus 23:12
“Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant, and the alien may be refreshed.
(WEB)
Point out how God gave His people a day to rest. Show the children that rest is a good gift from God, not something we have to earn by working nonstop.
Talk About It
- What is one time you saw someone do the right thing even when others were doing the wrong thing?
- Why do you think it can be hard to stop following a crowd that is doing something wrong?
- How would you feel if someone helped you when your toy or bike was broken and you needed help?
- Why do you think God wants us to be kind to people who are different from us?
- What is one way you can rest and enjoy God’s gifts this week?
Activity Ideas
Crowd or Clear Path Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a picture of a crowd on one side of the paper and a single person walking their own good path on the other side. Talk about how the single person chose to do the right thing, and let the children add a smile or a bright color to show the good path.
Help the Lost Donkey Game
You will need a stuffed animal or a small box as the “donkey,” a few cushions or chairs as obstacles, and a blindfold if you have one. Let one child guide a friend who is pretending to be stuck or lost through the room while the other children cheer them on. Afterward, talk about how helping someone else feels good.
Rest Jar Take-Home
You will need a clean jar, paper strips, and a pen. Have each child write one kind thing they can do for someone this week and one way they can rest, then fold the strips and place them in the jar. Encourage the family to read one strip together each day as a reminder to be kind and to rest well.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God’s law is about more than rules. It calls His people to honesty, justice, compassion for the vulnerable, and trust in God’s provision, including the gift of Sabbath rest. It also reminds believers that they were once strangers, which shapes how they treat others.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the sections about driving out enemy nations or the promises about the angel and hornets. Keep the focus on fairness, kindness, honesty, and rest, and be careful not to suggest that God’s blessings always work in a simple, automatic way.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for teaching us how to be fair and kind. Help us to choose what is right, even when others do wrong, and to help people who are in need. Thank You for the gift of rest too. We love You and trust You. Amen.
