In this lesson, children learn that God sees how people treat others, especially the poor, and that he never forgets. Amos 8 uses a simple picture, a basket of summer fruit, to show that God’s patience with unfair people was coming to an end. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God sees when people are unfair to others, and he never forgets what is done to the poor and needy. Being honest and kind pleases him.
Memory Verse
Amos 8:4
Hear this, you who desire to swallow up the needy, and cause the poor of the land to fail…
(WEB)
Cup both hands together like a little bowl, then slowly open them wide as if you are letting something go. Say the verse with the motion each time, then have children do it with you until everyone can say the words without looking.
The Story: Amos 8 for Kids
Long ago, a shepherd named Amos was given a special vision from God. In the vision, Amos saw a basket filled with ripe summer fruit. God asked him, “Amos, what do you see?” Amos answered, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then God told him that the time had come for his people, Israel, to face the results of how they had been acting.
God was not pleased with some of the people who were rich and powerful. They were cheating others when they sold grain. They used small measures to give less and large prices to take more. They even treated poor people as if they were worth less than a pair of shoes. God said, “Surely I will never forget any of their works.”
God described a sad day that was coming. The sun would go down at noon, and the land would be dark in the middle of the day. The songs at the feasts would turn into weeping. It would feel like the sad time when a family loses their only child. The people had ignored God’s ways for a long time, and now they would feel the sorrow of their choices.
God also said that a time would come when people would look everywhere for a word from him, and they would not find it. Strong young people would become weak and tired while searching. This was a serious warning, and it showed how much God wanted his people to turn back to him in honest and faithful living.
Read It Together
Amos 8:5-6
5 Saying, ‘When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit; 6 that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the sweepings with the wheat?’”
(WEB)
Point out how the people wanted the holy days to end so they could cheat others in business. Ask children what it means to be fair when we buy and sell, and how a shopkeeper or family member can show honesty.
Amos 8:7
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob, “Surely I will never forget any of their works.
(WEB)
Show children that God says he will never forget any of the things people do. Explain that God notices both the good and the wrong we do, even when no one else sees.
Amos 8:11
Behold, the days come,” says the Lord the LORD, “that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the LORD’s words.
(WEB)
Explain that God’s words are a gift we should treasure. Help children see that hearing and reading the Bible helps us know how God wants us to live every day.
Talk About It
- What did Amos see in God’s vision, and what do you think the basket of fruit was telling him?
- How did some of the people in the story treat the poor, and how would you feel if someone treated you that way?
- Why do you think God says he will never forget what people do?
- What is one way you can be honest and fair with your friends or family this week?
- Why do you think God’s words are so important to hear and read?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Basket of Fruit
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a picture of a basket if you have one. Ask them to draw a basket and fill it with their favorite summer fruits. Then have them write or draw one way they can be fair to someone this week, and talk about why God sees our actions.
Fair Scales Game
Gather a few small toys or blocks and two cups or bowls to act as a balance scale. Let children take turns putting items on each side, and talk about how the scale must be equal to be fair. Remind them that God wants honest weights and fair dealing, and let them cheer each time the scale balances.
Take-Home Promise Card
Cut index cards in half and give one to each child. Ask them to write or draw one fair and kind action they will try this week, such as sharing or helping someone who needs help. Encourage families to look at the cards together at dinner and talk about how God sees each choice we make.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God takes injustice seriously, especially when it harms the poor and needy. It also shows that God’s warnings are a loving call to repentance and to living faithfully. The chapter reminds us that religious activity cannot replace honest and compassionate daily life.
Avoid suggesting to children that God is angry or ready to punish them whenever they make a mistake. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness, his care for fairness, and his desire for his people to live well together.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for seeing everything we do, and for caring about how we treat other people. Help us to be honest and kind, especially to those who are poor or who need help. Please help us listen to your words and follow them every day. Amen.
