In this lesson, children learn that Job remembered a time when he helped people who were poor, hurting, or alone, and that God wants us to do the same. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God gives us good things so we can share them with people who need help. When we help others, we show that we love God.
Memory Verse
Job 29:12
Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him…
(WEB)
Put one hand on your heart, then open both hands out in front of you as if you are giving something away. Say the verse together while you do the motion, and repeat it three times.
The Story: Job 29 for Kids
Job was a man who loved God very much, and he had a big family and many good things. He remembered the days when God watched over him like a loving parent. Job’s lamp shone brightly, and he could walk through the dark without being afraid. His children were around him, and his life was full of blessings.
Job was known in his city. When he walked to the city gate, where the important people met, the young men stepped aside and hid. The older men stood up to show respect. Even the princes stopped talking and covered their mouths. Everyone who saw Job thought well of him, because he was kind.
Why did people respect Job so much? He helped those who had no one else. He rescued poor people who cried out for help. He cared for children who had lost their parents, and he made widows, women whose husbands had died, feel happy again. Job said, “I was a father to the needy.” He even looked into problems for people he did not know, so they would get fair treatment.
Job also protected people from harm. He stood up to the people who were cruel and took things that did not belong to them. He wanted justice, which means doing what is right and fair for everyone. He was like eyes for a person who could not see, and like feet for a person who could not walk. He helped people in real, practical ways.
Job spoke wisely, and people listened to him. They waited quietly for him to speak, and when he finished, they took his words to heart. He wanted people to feel that someone cared about them. Job remembered this time with thankfulness and longed for the good days he once had.
Read It Together
Job 29:14
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
(WEB)
Point out that Job says righteousness clothed him like a robe. Explain that righteousness means doing what is right and good, and that children can wear that kind of goodness every day by being kind at home and at school.
Job 29:15-16
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. 16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn’t know, I searched out.
(WEB)
Show how Job helped people who could not see or walk and people who were in need. Ask children to name someone in their own world who might need extra help, such as a new classmate or an elderly neighbor.
Job 29:12-13
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him, 13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
(WEB)
Point out that Job helped the poor and fatherless, and that the widow sang for joy because of his kindness. Explain that when we help others, we bring real happiness to people who feel lonely or forgotten.
Talk About It
- What did Job do to help the poor people who cried out to him?
- How do you think a person feels when someone helps them at a time they really need it?
- Who is someone you could help this week, and what could you do for them?
- Why do you think the young men hid and the older men stood up when Job walked by?
- What is one good thing God has given you that you could share with someone else?
Activity Ideas
Helping Hands Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child trace one of their hands onto paper and cut it out. On each finger, have them write or draw one way they can help someone. Display the hands on the wall as a reminder that God wants us to use our hands to help others.
Lamp and Shadow Game
You will need a flashlight and a dim room. Turn off the lights, then shine the flashlight on a child. Explain that Job walked in God’s light, and then invite the children to take turns acting out one helpful action, such as handing a tissue to a friend or picking up a dropped book. The rest of the group guesses what they are doing.
Take-Home Kindness Card
You will need index cards, a pen, and an envelope for each child. Ask children to write one act of kindness they plan to do this week and tape a small treat, such as a sticker or a piece of candy, to the card. Encourage them to share the card with a family member or friend and tell them about it.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Job 29 shows that a life of integrity is marked by genuine care for the vulnerable. Job did not help people to gain status; his generosity flowed from knowing that God had blessed him and wanted him to bless others. The chapter reminds us that justice and mercy belong together, and that God’s people are called to notice and respond to those who are overlooked.
With children, avoid suggesting that Job was perfect or that God always rewards good people with an easy life. Job later suffered greatly, and that is a story for another lesson. For this lesson, focus on the kindness Job showed and the way it reflected God’s care, without implying that helping others guarantees good things will happen to us.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for giving us good things to share. Help us notice people who need help, and give us kind hands and kind words. Show us how to love others the way you love us. Amen.
