In this lesson, children learn that God is always fair and good, even when things seem unfair, and that friends should be honest and kind with each other. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is always fair and good, and we can trust Him even when we don’t understand what is happening.
Memory Verse
Job 4:17
‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
(WEB)
Have the children stand up tall, then slowly bow their heads and fold their hands as they say the words together. Ask them to show with their arms how big and strong God is, then bring their hands back to their hearts.
The Story: Job 4 for Kids
A man named Eliphaz was one of Job’s friends. Job had lost almost everything he owned, and he was sitting in the dirt feeling very sad and confused. Eliphaz came to talk with him, and at first he tried to be a good friend. He reminded Job of all the times Job had helped people who were weak or struggling.
But then Eliphaz began to think that Job must have done something wrong to make such bad things happen to him. He said that good people do not suffer, and that people who do wrong often reap what they sow. These were not kind words, and they were not fully true. Eliphaz was trying to explain Job’s trouble, but he was guessing about why it happened.
Later that night, Eliphaz said he had a strange dream. In the dream a spirit passed before his face, and he felt afraid and trembling. He heard a quiet voice ask a question: could a human being be more fair than God? Could a person be purer than the One who made him?
The voice reminded Eliphaz that God does not need to trust people to be perfect, because God is always perfect. It reminded him that people are made from clay and dust and can be crushed as easily as a moth. Eliphaz learned that he should be humble, because he could not see everything that God sees.
Read It Together
Job 4:1-2
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2 “If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
(WEB)
Point out that Eliphaz began by asking whether it would hurt Job to hear his words. Ask the children how they feel when a friend wants to share something hard with them, and talk about how to listen kindly.
Job 4:6
Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
(WEB)
Show the children the words about trusting in piety and integrity. Explain that these words mean being honest and doing what is right, and ask them what choices they can make this week to be honest and kind.
Job 4:17-18
17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? 18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
(WEB)
Point out that God is far greater than any person and never makes a mistake. Help the children see that God is trustworthy even when they cannot understand what He is doing, and that He is never unfair.
Talk About It
- What is one way you can be a kind friend when someone is sad or upset?
- Why do you think Eliphaz was wrong to say that Job must have done something bad?
- How can you remember that God is always fair, even when you feel confused?
- What does it mean to be honest with a friend, and why does it matter?
- When is a time you had to trust God even though you didn’t understand what was happening?
Activity Ideas
Clay Pinch Pots
You will need modeling clay or playdough, and a damp cloth for little hands. Let each child shape a small bowl or pot, pressing a thumb into the middle and pinching the sides up slowly. As they work, remind them that people are made from clay and that God is the potter who made them, and that He always cares for what He has made.
Lion and Lamb Freeze Game
You will need an open space and a timer or a drum, or simply your voice. Call out “Lion!” and have the children crouch low with their claws out, then call “Lamb!” and have them stand still and soft with hands folded. Pause the game to talk about how God is strong like a lion but gentle like a shepherd, and that He never loses control.
Honest Friend Card
You will need paper, crayons, and an envelope. Have each child draw a picture of themselves being a kind and honest friend, then write or dictate one sentence about how they will show that this week. Let them take the card home in the envelope and place it somewhere they will see it each morning as a reminder to speak truth in love.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that Eliphaz was a sincere friend who got the big picture wrong. He assumed that suffering must always be a punishment for sin, which is the kind of theology Job’s book later challenges. The chapter also shows that even a true statement about God’s greatness can be used unkindly if it is applied to someone else’s pain without humility.
With children, avoid suggesting that suffering always happens because a person did something wrong. Keep the focus on God being fair and good and on how we treat each other with kindness, rather than on explaining why bad things happen.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You are always fair and good. Help us to be honest and kind with our friends, even when it is hard. When we do not understand what is happening, help us to trust You, because You see everything and You never make a mistake. Amen.
