This lesson teaches children that God keeps His promises even when we make hard choices, and that Abram chose peace over fighting. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God takes care of us, so we can choose to be kind and peaceful, even when someone else gets the better part.
Memory Verse
Genesis 13:14
The LORD said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward…
(WEB)
Have children stand up and slowly turn their heads left, right, and then look all the way around the room, as if they are looking at all the land God showed Abram. Ask them to sit down and say the verse together while they point to the places they looked.
The Story: Genesis 13 for Kids
Abram lived with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. God had blessed Abram with many sheep, goats, cows, and tents, and Lot had many animals too. They had come back from Egypt together, and they were both very rich.
Soon there was not enough grass and water for all their animals. The men who took care of Abram’s animals began to argue with the men who took care of Lot’s animals. Everyone was getting upset, and the families did not know what to do.
Abram was the older man and could have told Lot what to do, but he did not. He said to Lot, “Please, let us not fight. We are family. Look, the whole land is in front of you. Choose where you want to go, and I will go the other way.” Abram trusted God to take care of him.
Lot looked at the green valley near the city of Sodom, and he chose it for himself. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. The two men went separate ways, and they lived apart.
Then God spoke to Abram again. God told him to look all around at the land, north, south, east, and west. God said that He would give all that land to Abram and to his children. God promised that Abram’s family would be as countless as the dust on the ground.
So Abram moved his tent to the oak trees of Mamre, near the town of Hebron. He built an altar there to worship the LORD.
Read It Together
Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
(WEB)
Point out that Abram began by talking about peace before he talked about the land. Ask children what they think Abram was saying to Lot with those first words.
Genesis 13:10
Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.
(WEB)
Show children how Lot looked at the green valley and only thought about what looked good to him. Ask them why it can be easy to choose what looks best for us right away.
Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
(WEB)
Point out that after all the trouble, Abram’s first act was to build an altar and worship God. Explain that remembering God is a good thing to do after hard moments.
Talk About It
- What did Abram say to Lot to help them stop fighting?
- Why do you think Abram let Lot choose first?
- What did Lot see when he looked at the valley, and what did he choose?
- What did God promise Abram when Lot had gone away?
- What is one way you can choose peace with someone in your family this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw Abram’s View
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask them to draw the land God showed Abram, with hills, trees, and a river. Have them write “Look and see” at the top and display the pictures on the wall so children can see how wide God’s promise was.
Choose Your Side Game
Mark two sides of the room with masking tape, one labeled “Left” and one labeled “Right.” Let one child be Abram and another be Lot. Have them each call out a side, and everyone else moves to join the side they pick. Talk about how Abram let Lot choose first and how kindness can make both sides peaceful.
Peace Promise Card
Give each child an index card and a marker. Have them write or draw one thing they will do to make peace with a sibling, friend, or classmate. Tape the card to the fridge or their bedroom door as a reminder that God helps us choose peace.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that Abram trusted God’s care enough to give up his own preference. Abram was the head of the family and had the right to choose first, yet he humbly let Lot decide, and God honored that faith with a fresh promise about the land and his descendants.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that God rewards people automatically for being kind or that bad choices always lead to disaster. Lot’s story is not a simple lesson about punishment, so keep the focus on Abram’s trust and God’s faithfulness.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Father, thank You for taking care of us every day. Help us to be kind and peaceful, even when we want things our way. Help us trust You to give us what we need, and help us remember to thank You. Amen.
