37 | Kids Guide

Head: Know God's Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God's Way  

Read John 12 

HEAD

Have you ever wanted to give someone a really good gift, but you didn’t know what to get them that was special enough? Or maybe you just couldn't afford to give them the kind of gift you thought they deserved. In John 12, Mary and her sister Martha had a dinner party for Jesus. After they had dinner, Mary opened a large bottle of very expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet, and then wiped His feet with her hair. Mary didn’t have much to offer Jesus in the way of a gift, but she had that bottle of perfume, and she had a heart that wanted to honor Him. Some of the disciples thought she was being wasteful, but Jesus told them that what she had done was an act of love because she gave Him the best of what she had. 

HEART

We are a lot like Mary. We don’t have anything of value to offer Jesus as a way to show our gratitude to Him. And while we can’t pour perfume on Jesus’ feet, we can give Him our best as Mary did. Our best looks like giving Him our time, our obedience, our service, and our love. And do you know what? That’s really all Jesus wants from us. 

HANDS

Give everyone in your family a piece of paper and have them write or draw one way they can give Jesus their best this week. That could be spending time with Him, reading the Bible, or praying; it could be loving and honoring others (especially when it’s hard!); or maybe it’s serving others through giving or volunteering. At the end of the week, share how each person tried to give their best to Jesus. 

Prayer: Jesus, You deserve our very best. Help us love You without holding back the way Mary did. Show us how we can honor You in our choices, our words, and our actions this week. We love You! Amen.