Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: Matthew 5:23-24; Romans 12:18; 1 John 1:9

“Jia’s mad at me,” Lara told her mother as they drove down a country road toward town. “When she got an A on our spelling test and I got a C, I—well, I said she must have cheated. I know I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why don’t you text her and apologize?” suggested Mom.

“Okay, I will, but not right now,” Lara said. “I’ll wait until she’s in a better mood.” As Mom turned down a side road, Lara looked at her in surprise. “Why are we turning here?”

“This is a shorter way to town,” said Mom. “I don’t know how good the road will be after all the rain we’ve had, but let’s give it a try.”

For a short distance the road was good, but then the pavement ended and the road became very muddy. “I think we should go back,” said Lara.

“I think you’re right,” said Mom. “We’ll have to find a place to turn around.”

“How about there?” Lara pointed to a narrow path leading into a field.

Mom slowed down, but then shook her head. “Those ditches at the side of that path are awfully deep. We need to find a better spot.”

A little later, Lara motioned toward a wider spot in the road. “How about here?”

But Mom passed by that one too. “That’s not exactly the perfect spot either,” she said.

“Mom!” Lara threw her head back against the seat. “If you ask me, the first possible spot is always the perfect spot!”

“I’m beginning to think you’re right,” Mom said as she stopped the car and began to back up.

After they turned around, Mom spoke. “Waiting for a perfect spot was pretty silly, huh? We made a mistake in coming this way, and the first chance to correct that mistake was the best chance. That’s also true when we make mistakes that hurt others. When we realize what we did was wrong, we need to confess our sin to Jesus so He can forgive us and help us make things right. That includes apologizing to those we’ve hurt right away.”

Lara sighed. “Okay, I get what you’re saying. Can I use your phone so I can text Jia?”

–Corrine Canavan-Fifield

How about you? Do you have a hard time saying you’re sorry when you’ve done something wrong? It’s not easy to admit our mistakes, but putting it off usually makes things worse. Jesus promises to forgive us the moment we confess our sins to Him, and He’ll help us restore our relationships with others. So don’t wait for a better time—apologize and ask for forgiveness right away.

Today's Key Verse: First go and be reconciled to them. Matthew 5:24 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Say you’re sorry right away

Read: Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 10:29–31; Hebrews 4:16

As soon as Carolina wiped away one tear, another lousy one slid down. She grew tired of crying over her sinus issues because it only made her throbbing head worse. She sniffled. “I don’t understand how Jesus promises to wipe away every tear. That sounds exhausting!”

G-ma kissed Carolina’s forehead. “Darling, crying is okay, especially when we cry out to Jesus. Have you prayed about it?”

“Yeah, sure,” Carolina huffed. “During prayer this morning, Jesus said there are bigger problems.”

G-ma lifted an eyebrow. “He said that to you, sweetie?”

There was silence as Carolina gathered her thoughts. “I mean…I think I just felt guilty praying about my sinus issues when Lily has leukemia.” Carolina pointed to her little sister Lily who was collecting red berries from the bushes. “My pain seems so small compared to hers.”

“Look, G-ma!” Lily tossed berries in the air and giggled.

“Don’t you eat those!” G-ma turned to look at Carolina as she ran to stop Lily. “Oh, honey, yes, Lily is hurting, but so are you. If Jesus knows how many hairs are on our heads and our every thought, then our small problems are a big deal to Him. That’s why He encourages us to pray about everything.”

“Sounds like Jesus really cares,” Carolina replied.

“He does. Do you remember earlier when Lily was sad that she couldn’t find any little red berries and you immediately helped her find some?” Carolina nodded. “You cared about her small request because you love her and knew it was important to her,” said G-ma. “How much more would the Lord help us with our problems, big or small? Because of His love for us, Jesus suffered and died for all our sins on the cross. He cares about all our pain because He experienced all kinds of pain too, and He wants to help us and comfort us.”

Carolina relaxed her shoulders. “Wow, Jesus really was listening…”

“CANNONBALL!” Lily jumped on top of Carolina and squeezed her tightly. They erupted in laughter.

G-ma smiled and leaned over to wipe another tear out of Carolina’s eye. “Remember to keep praying. Jesus is always with you, darling.”

–Toria Keyes

How about you? Are you afraid that the Lord won’t fight your battle because others are dealing with worse problems? We serve a God who knows what it feels like to bump a funny bone or get a paper cut. Whatever your situation is, He wants you to know you are not alone. What are the little red berries in your life—small things that are still really important? Jesus cares about those things and wants to help you with them.

Today's Key Verse: Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:30–31 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus cares about small things

Read: Psalm 150

“What’s all the racket about?” Mom came out of her office and stood in the doorway of the living room. “You two have done nothing but fight and complain all afternoon.”

Asher and Olivia glared at each other silently.

“Praise the Lord!” Mom suddenly shouted. Asher and Olivia jumped in surprise. Mom smiled as the kids looked at her curiously. “You were yelling and complaining in loud voices, so I thought I’d praise the Lord in an equally loud voice.” She raised her voice again. “I’m thankful for the rain, aren’t you? It’s been so dry lately!”

“But Mom, when it rains, there’s nothing to do,” Asher said.

“I have an idea.” Mom went into her office and came back with paper and pencils. “Why don’t you make a praise list by writing down all the wonderful things God has done for us? Let’s have a praise day instead of a complaining day. Now, I have some work to finish up, but you can show me your lists before dinner tonight.”

Asher sighed as Mom went back into her office and shut the door. After a moment, he wrote, God helped me not miss the bus after school.

Olivia took a sheet of paper and wrote, God gives us food every day.

After working a little while, Asher said, “Hey, let’s tape our pages together to make one long sheet. Let’s see how long a list we can make.” The list was still growing when Dad got home.

“How was your day?” Mom asked him as she pulled a chicken pot pie out of the oven.

“Terrible,” he said. “First, the rain got my clothes all wet, and then—”

“Praise the Lord!” Asher shouted. Dad looked startled, and Asher grinned. “Mom says this should be a praise day.” He held up the list for his father to see.

“Come on, Dad,” said Olivia. “Praise the Lord for something. We’ll add it to our list.”

Dad grinned. “I praise the Lord for creating your mom,” he said. “I love her, and she teaches us to count our blessings—and blesses us with good food for dinner!”

Mom smiled. “And I praise Jesus for the best thing of all—dying on the cross for our sins!”

–Carol A. DeCesare

How about you? Do you complain when things don’t go your way? Sometimes difficult things happen that you need to talk about with someone, but there’s a big difference between sharing struggles and complaining about every little thing you don’t like. Instead of complaining, think about all the good things God has blessed you with and the people He’s put in your life—and most importantly, how He’s given you eternal life through Jesus!

Today's Key Verse: Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Praise instead of complaining

Read: Galatians 5:22-25

The pocket of Octavia’s red sweater bulged. She didn’t want Miss Allen to notice, so she quickly slipped into her seat. She removed a big orange from her pocket and hid it behind the box of crayons in her desk.

The morning dragged by. Usually Octavia liked reading class, but not today. She couldn’t keep her mind on the story. A classmate—Ford—had agreed to give the signal for the special activity the kids had planned. He said they should wait until math time and be ready when Miss Allen turned to the whiteboard.

Excitement built up when Miss Allen told the class to take out their math books. Everyone kept looking at Ford. When he put his hand in his desk, Octavia covered her mouth. She didn’t want Miss Allen to see that she was giggling. She reached inside her desk and took hold of the orange.

At last Miss Allen turned her back to the class. Octavia drew a deep breath as Ford yelled, “Fruit roll!” In a flash, Octavia’s orange rolled down the aisle with lots of other fruit. The room became noisy, and Miss Allen looked puzzled. “It’s for you,” Ford said, pointing to the fruit. “For your birthday!”

“For me?” Miss Allen asked in surprise. “How thoughtful of you! Thanks, kids.”

That afternoon Octavia told her mom all about it. “Miss Allen said she’d never heard of a fruit roll, but she liked it! She got oranges, grapefruit, some tangerines, a few lemons, and even a lime.”

“I knew she’d enjoy it.” Mom smiled at Octavia. “What about you? Have you gotten any fruit rolled to you lately?”

Octavia gave her mom a confused look. “What do you mean?”

“I mean the fruit of the Spirit,” Mom said. “Once you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit produces fruit in your life—the qualities of the new person He wants you to be. It’s quite a list. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—all these make you more like Jesus.”

Octavia thought about it. “I guess He is helping me be more patient—and helping me be kind to kids at school I don’t know well.” She smiled. “It’s like I’m getting a fruit roll from Jesus every day!”

–Margaret M. Primrose

How about you? Did you know that, if you’re a Christian, you’re getting a fruit roll from Jesus every day? He helps you develop the qualities that make you more like Him. As you grow as a Christian, others will start to see more and more of these qualities in your life. Trust Jesus to help you grow and fill you with the fruit of the Spirit so you become more like Him.

Today's Key Verse: May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:11 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: God fills your life with fruit

Read: Matthew 6:25-34

“This state park is really nice, isn’t it?” Dad said as he and Henry walked along a wooded path.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Henry mumbled in response. But he hadn’t really noticed—he’d been too busy wondering if Dad would be able to find a new job. The place where his dad worked was going out of business. “Dad, what if we run out of money for food and stuff?”

Dad was about to answer, but then he saw where Henry was walking. “Henry, watch out for that poison ivy! Stay on the path.”

But the warning came too late. Henry had already wandered off to the side. He stopped and looked down at the patch of low bushes around his feet. “Poison ivy!” He groaned and quickly returned to the path. “Now I’ll be itching all week!”

“Maybe not.” Dad pointed to a tall plant with yellow-spotted horn-shaped flowers. “Here’s something that might help you.”

“What’s that?” asked Henry.

“It’s called jewelweed, and I’ve used it before when I’ve gotten into poison ivy.” Dad broke off some leaves, crushed them in his hand, and handed them to Henry. “Rub these over your legs. It ought to stop the poison ivy reaction.”

“Really?” Henry rubbed the leaves on his bare legs, hoping Dad was right. And as they continued their walk, Henry was careful to avoid further contact with the poisonous weed.

When Henry was getting ready to go to bed that night, Dad stopped at his room. “So how are your legs?” he asked.

“My legs?” repeated Henry. Then he remembered—the poison ivy! He looked down. “The poison ivy isn’t doing anything!” He grinned at his dad. “The jewelweed really worked. Wow! Medicine for poison ivy in the middle of the woods!”

Dad nodded. “God often provides for us in surprising ways. We should always remember that. I know we’ve all been concerned about my job, but if God can provide a poison ivy cure in the middle of the woods, He certainly can provide for our family’s needs as well. He’s already provided for our greatest need of all by sending Jesus to save us from sin. We don’t need to worry. God is with us, and we can trust Him.”

–Jane K. Chase

How about you? Are you worried about something right now? Maybe a family member is sick or a parent is out of work. No matter what it is, trust God to take care of you. He may not give you everything you want, but you may be surprised by the way He provides for you. When you needed to be saved from sin, He provided His own Son, Jesus, to die for you. Depend on Him to provide what you need.

Today's Key Verse: My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust God to provide for you

Read: Luke 8:26-36

FLASH! Lightning ripped across the black sky. Instantly every street light went out.

“Whoa,” Luke said. “Talk about a spooky night! It looks like a ghost town out there.”

Beth peeked out from under her covers. “Don’t say the word ghost.”

Mom came into their bedroom with a flashlight.

“Hey, Mom.” Luke put bed covers over his head to look like a ghost. “Tell us a ghost story.”

“On a night like this?” Beth whipped off the covers. “Are you kidding? How about a Bible story—with a really good ending.”

Mom smiled. “I’ll tell a ghost story from the Bible—but it has a happy ending.”

“Great,” Luke groaned. “How scary can that be? And I didn’t think the Bible talked much about ghosts.”

“Actually, this story is about evil spirits,” Mom said. “Demons.”

Now it was Beth’s turn to groan. “That sounds worse!”

“One day, Jesus went into a cemetery to visit a man who lived there,” Mom said.

“Creepy.” Luke rubbed his hands together. “So far, so good.”

“He lived…”—Beth was wide-eyed—“in the graveyard?”

“Yes,” Mom said. “The man was filled with many, many evil spirits—and they made him do awful things. And the spirits made him super strong—everybody was afraid of him.”

Lightning flashed and lit the room. “I thought this wasn’t going to be scary!” said Beth.

“Wasn’t Jesus scared?” Luke asked.

“No,” said Mom. “Jesus is the Son of God, and when He talked with the man, He told the evil spirits to leave him.”

Luke leaned closer. “Did they?”

Mom nodded. “Every single evil spirit left—immediately. Because He had come to defeat Satan through His death and resurrection, Jesus had the power to send them all away.”

“Wow,” Luke said. “Those evil spirits were busted—big time!”

“And the man who lived in the cemetery was finally free and could go back to his real home again,” Mom said. “The man was so grateful that he became a follower of Jesus.”

The lights came back on all over the neighborhood.

Beth stood and hugged Mom. “You’re right, this story did have a happy ending!”

“Wow,” Luke said. “Jesus is the ultimate ghost tamer!”

–Matt Shoemaker

How about you? Did you know that Jesus has complete authority over everything in heaven and earth, including demons? Evil powers exist in our world, and they can be scary—but you don’t have to be afraid. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has freed you from Satan’s power, just like He freed the man in the story. Nothing is more powerful than our God!

Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus holds all authority

Read: Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 5:7

Tears fell down Leah’s cheeks as she and her parents drove past their old house in the country to see what it looked like now. They had moved to the city to be closer to her dad’s work, but Leah had loved living in the country and really missed her old house. She wished they could have stayed.

Leah’s old house looked so different now. The bushes her dad had planted seemed bigger, and the new owners had painted the house a different color. I liked the old color better, Leah thought to herself.

When Dad pulled into the driveway of their new home, Leah jumped out of the car and ran to her room. She grabbed her favorite stuffed animal and stared out the window. She used to see trees and fields outside her window; now all she saw were more houses.

Mom walked into Leah’s room. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just wish we still lived in the country. Why did things have to change?”

“The move was a big change for all of us, but living in the city can be fun too.” Mom came and stood next to Leah at the window. “Life changes are hard sometimes. But knowing that Jesus never changes and is always with us can give us peace and comfort when we’re going through big changes in life. Hebrews 13:8 says, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.’”

The next morning Leah and her mom went for a walk in their new neighborhood. They met their neighbor, Mrs. Franklin, and her daughter, Chelsie. Chelsie was the same age as Leah.

Mrs. Franklin invited Leah and her mom into their backyard. While Mom and Mrs. Franklin visited on the patio, Chelsie and Leah ran and played. Chelsie had a cool tree house.

“Maybe living in the city won’t be so bad after all,” Leah told her mom on their walk home. “I already found something I like about the city—our neighbors.”

Mom smiled. “God is always with us, and He knows exactly what we need.”

That night Leah thanked God for her new friend. She was thankful He was always with her and that He cared about her needs.

–Lisa Fuller

How about you? Is change hard for you? Change can make you feel homesick, lonely, scared, or anxious, but God wants to replace those feelings with His peace. He never changes, and He promises to be with you in every new situation. Next time you’re in a new place or starting a new school, think of it as a great adventure with Jesus by your side! Turn your worries over to Him and He will give you peace and contentment.

Today's Key Verse: This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: God is with you

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:8-12

Emma tiptoed into her house. The wind howled at her back, and she pulled her scarf tight against her neck. If only she had her coat. Slowly, she closed the door until it clicked shut. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to see her like this.

She sighed. It was nice to finally be in her warm living room.

“Emma?”

Uh-oh. She cringed as she turned to her mother and forced a smile.

“Where’s your coat?”

“I…um…lost it?”

“Lost it? What are you talking about? It isn’t even fifty degrees outside!” Mom grabbed Emma’s hands. “Your hands are freezing.” She took a step back and placed her hands on her hips. “How in the world could you possibly lose that big winter coat?”

Emma looked down and kicked at the edge of the carpet. “I gave it away.”

“You did what?”

“There’s a girl at school named Katy. All she had was a jacket. She said she didn’t own a winter coat. I remembered that I had two others at home, so I gave her the one I was wearing.”

Smiling, Mom led her to the couch. “You did a good thing today.”

“So you’re not mad at me?” Emma asked as she took a seat beside her mother.

“No. What you did for your friend was a lot like what Jesus did for us.”

“What do you mean?” asked Emma.

“Well, Jesus was rich and comfortable in heaven, but He saw that we were stuck in sin. So He left all His riches and comfort behind in order to save us.”

Emma pulled the scarf off her neck. “By coming to earth and dying on the cross.”

“Exactly,” said Mom. “He gave up everything so we could experience the riches and joy of having eternal life with Him.” She wrapped a blanket around Emma’s shoulders. “It must’ve been freezing cold walking home without a coat.”

“Yeah, but it was only a ten-minute walk.”

Mom grinned. “You were a picture of Jesus to Katy today. You became poor for a little while so that she could become rich.”

–Annika Klanderud

How about you? Have you ever done something good for somebody that left you feeling uncomfortable? Maybe you donated the last of your money or gave away food you really enjoy. By doing that, you made a sacrifice for someone else. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice when He died to save us from sin. When you make sacrifices for others, you’re pointing to the ultimate sacrifice He made for us.

Today's Key Verse: Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: We’re rich because Jesus became poor

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Hunter peered ahead through the fog that surrounded them. “Hey, Dad!” he said as he and his father approached the large city they were visiting. “Look!” He pointed toward the distant city skyline that was almost completely hidden by the fog. “You can hardly see those huge buildings today.”

“Keep watching them,” Dad said. “As we get closer, the fog will seem to disappear and the buildings will become clearer.”

Hunter stared at the hazy outline of the city as they drove in silence for a few minutes. As expected, the closer they got to the buildings, the clearer everything began to look. Hunter grinned at his dad. “Those buildings aren’t so dim anymore.”

Dad smiled. “Do you remember the verse in First Corinthians that says, ‘For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known’?”

“Yep. I remember that one,” said Hunter. “I had it for a memory verse once. It’s talking about heaven, isn’t it? That’s when we’ll see Jesus face-to-face.”

Dad nodded. “From a distance, we had trouble seeing the buildings through the fog. We saw them only dimly. It’s a picture of how we see Jesus now. Sometimes we have a hard time understanding Him and His great love and wisdom.” Dad motioned toward the city. “Now that we’re closer to the buildings, we see them more clearly.”

“So we won’t be able to see Jesus clearly until we get to heaven?” asked Hunter.

“That’s when we’ll fully know Him, but we can see and understand Him more clearly now by focusing our attention on Him—just like you can see the building through the fog better by focusing your eyes on it.”

“How do we do that?” asked Hunter.

“By learning more about Him in the Bible, praying, going to church, and trusting Him to help us love others the way He does,” replied Dad. “All these things help us know Him better and understand who He is. And one day we’ll finally see Him face-to-face and know Him perfectly!”

Hunter looked out the window as they drove into the city. “Look, Dad!” He pointed to the looming skyline. “We’re almost there!”

–Richard S. Maffeo

How about you? Do you know Jesus but find it hard to understand everything about Him? You can get to know Him better by spending time with Him both on your own and with other Christians, but you won’t understand Him fully until you see Him face-to-face. Until then, know that He’s always with you, and remember that one day you’ll be with Him for all eternity.

Today's Key Verse: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: We’ll know Jesus fully in heaven

Read: Psalm 119:9-16

Sally shivered as she sat on the park bench. The weather was getting cold. Soon there would be snow, and Grandma wouldn’t want to come to the park once the sidewalks were slippery. Sally reached into the bag Grandma had brought and pulled out another nut. The squirrels around her sat on their hind legs, waiting.

“Looks like they’re getting ready for winter too,” Grandma said.

Sally tossed out more nuts. “Why are they burying food?”

“It’s hard for squirrels to find food when snow covers the ground, so they’re planning ahead. A single squirrel can bury up to three thousand nuts in one season.”

“Do the squirrels remember where they bury them?” asked Sally.

“Scientists believe they do. Squirrels are really quite smart—some of them even pretend to bury nuts in one place to trick other squirrels that might be watching. Then the squirrel buries the nuts someplace else to protect its stash.”

“I’m glad people don’t have to bury food,” Sally said.

Grandma nodded. “Me too. But I have other buried treasure.”

“You do, Grandma? What is it? Money? Diamonds? Gold?”

Grandma laughed. “Something much more precious.”

“Is your treasure buried in your backyard?”

“No,” said Grandma. “It’s buried in my heart.”

Sally frowned. What could be buried in somebody’s heart? “I give up. What’s your treasure, Grandma?”

“My treasure is the Word of God. I’ve memorized many Bible verses, and they often come to mind just when I need one.”

“How many have you memorized?”

“Not as many as I probably could have—some people have memorized whole books! But I’ve memorized some longer passages, like the Twenty-third Psalm, the Lord’s Prayer, and Paul’s chapter about love in First Corinthians. Memorizing God’s Word helps me remember that I can trust Him in any situation because Jesus died and rose again to save me and promises to always be with me.”

“Maybe we could memorize some verses together,” Sally said.

“I’d like that.” Grandma gave Sally a big hug. “Now, let me tell you about my other great treasure—one I appreciate more and more every day.”

“What treasure is that?”

Grandma pulled Sally closer. “You!”

–Carol Raj

How about you? Have you memorized any Bible verses? Sometimes the best comfort is a Bible verse that comes to mind just when you need it. When you memorize verses, you are hiding God’s Word in your heart—a treasure worth more than diamonds, silver, or gold. Fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word so He can use it to encourage you and comfort you throughout your life.

Today's Key Verse: Your teachings are worth more to me than a thousand pieces of silver and gold. Psalm 119:72 (ERV)

Today's Key Thought: Memorize Bible verses