This lesson teaches children that God cares about kind and fair treatment, especially for people who are poor, lonely, or have no one to take care of them. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God wants us to be kind and fair to everyone, and he remembers those who need help most.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 24:19
When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
(WEB)
Have children reach out one hand, then the other, as if gathering grain into their arms. Then have them open both hands wide, showing they are sharing with someone else. Repeat it together three times.
The Story: Deuteronomy 24 for Kids
God gave his people, the Israelites, a list of rules for living together as a family and a nation. One rule was about marriage and divorce. A husband who sent his wife away was not allowed to take her back later. God wanted people to think carefully before breaking a promise.
God also cared about borrowing and lending. If a neighbor borrowed money, the lender could not walk into his house and grab whatever he wanted. The lender had to stand outside and wait. If the poor neighbor had a coat to pay back, he had to return it by sunset so he could stay warm at night. Imagine how cold a family would be without a blanket!
Workers were also protected. A hired worker who was poor needed to be paid every day. God said, “Do not wait until the sun goes down to pay him.” The worker was counting on that money to buy food for his family, and God did not want anyone to be cheated.
God made a special rule for the harvest. When farmers gathered their crops, they were told to leave some behind on purpose. If a sheaf of grain fell in the field, they must not go back for it. It belonged to the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. These were people who had no fields of their own, so God gave them a chance to gather food.
God reminded his people of something important. They had once been slaves in Egypt, and God had rescued them. Because God had been kind to them, they were to be kind to others. He said, “Remember that you were a slave in Egypt.” Remembering helps us act with love.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
14 You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers, or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates. 15 In his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it; lest he cry against you to the LORD, and it be sin to you.
(WEB)
Point out that God does not want workers to be treated unfairly. Ask children what it would feel like to wait all day for pay that never came. Explain that God hears the cries of people who are being mistreated.
Deuteronomy 24:17
You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge…
(WEB)
Show children that God wants fair justice for strangers, children without parents, and widows. Explain that a widow is a woman whose husband has died. Point out that God cares about people others might overlook.
Deuteronomy 24:21
When you harvest your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
(WEB)
Describe how farmers would leave extra grapes on the vine for people in need. Help children see that God wants us to share what we have, even when it is not required. Ask how they could share something this week.
Talk About It
- Why do you think God wanted people to remember the time they were slaves in Egypt?
- How would you feel if you worked hard all day but did not get paid until much later?
- Who are some people in our town who might need help, like a widow or a stranger?
- What is one way you could be kind to someone who has less than you?
- How does knowing God rescued his people help you trust him today?
Activity Ideas
Grain Sheaf Collage
Give each child a sheet of paper, glue, and some dried beans, rice, or torn yellow tissue paper. Ask them to draw a field and glue a few pieces of grain near the edge. As they work, talk about leaving something behind for someone else. Let them take their picture home to remind them to share.
Sharing Relay Game
Set out a bowl of small crackers or pieces of fruit at one end of the room, and an empty bowl at the other end. Children take turns carrying one piece at a time across the room to the empty bowl. Explain that workers and widows often depended on others to share. End by giving each child a piece to enjoy.
Thankful Pocket Card
You will need index cards, markers, and a small envelope for each child. Have children write or draw one way God helped them this week. Then they write one way they could help someone else. Let them keep the envelope in a pocket or backpack as a reminder.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God’s law was full of practical compassion. It protected families, workers, and the vulnerable, and it tied justice to remembering God’s rescue. Many of these laws were given to a people who had recently been enslaved, so mercy toward others was meant to flow from their own story of deliverance.
Avoid suggesting to children that God’s specific marriage and divorce rules apply in the same way today, since these were given within an ancient covenant setting. Focus on the consistent heart of the chapter, which is fairness, generosity, and remembering how God has cared for us.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for caring about everyone, especially people who need help. Help us to be fair and kind, and to share what we have with others. Thank you for rescuing us and loving us. Help us remember your kindness every day. Amen.
