Elementary Level, Block 4—Moses
Week 38
Moses—Caring for the Israelites
Point to Emphasize: We can be those who are caring and sensitive towards others.
Reference Reading: Exodus 15:22—18:27
Memory Verse: And be kind to one another… (Ephesians 4:32a)
Story Sample
Who in this room knows someone who is caring and sensitive? Let’s first make sure we know what these words mean. Caring means to be kind and to have a concern for others. For example, when your mom walks in the door carrying her purse, her keys, bags of groceries, and you run to help her, you show that you care for her. Now, in order for you to care for others, you need to be sensitive. Sensitive is to have or display a quick and delicate appreciation of other’s feelings. To be sensitive towards people means you feel how they are feeling. If you are sensitive, you might know if the boy next to you is sad or happy. If you are sensitive you might sense if he is hungry or even if he is tired.
One man in the Bible who was very caring and sensitive toward others was Moses. If you were here about five weeks ago, you learned that Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness caring for sheep. But you see, that was not all that he did. When he freed the children of Israel from Egypt and they were on their way to the good land, they spent about 40 years in the wilderness. Moses was now in charge not of sheep, but of people. And do you want to know how many people? He was in charge of 600,000 men plus women and children. That is a LOT of people! Moses was SO caring and SO sensitive to ALL of their needs.
Moses knew when they were hungry. He knew when they were thirsty. He knew when they were tired and needed to rest. Moses was SO sensitive to all of their needs. Because he was SO caring, he acted on it! Moses prayed to God so that God would help him care for all of these people.
Let me tell you one interesting thing that happened with them. The children of Israel started to get hungry, really hungry, and they complained to Moses. What was Moses going to do? Well, Moses was sensitive and knew that he needed to get food for all of them. Because Moses was caring, even when the people of Israel came to him complaining, he prayed to God to see how to feed them! Do you know what God did? God heard Moses, and God made bread rain down from heaven every morning! WOW! The children of Israel did not go hungry! God fed them all when Moses prayed!
How was Moses able to be sensitive and care for all the needs of 600,000 men plus women and children for forty years? I think I have an idea of how Moses may have done it. When I had my firstborn son, I had no idea how to care for him. I read books and asked moms around me, but nothing prepared me for what was coming! That baby would cry at ALL hours! At first I just didn’t know if he was hungry or if he was sleepy or if he needed a clean diaper! It was so hard to know what he needed! But, I loved this baby SO much. Little by little I started developing a sensitive and caring heart. My baby would cry and I soon knew EXACTLY what he needed! [Storyteller, insert your personal example of caring or being sensitive to the needs of others, just as Moses may have done it.]
Now, you are just in Kindergarten or perhaps in First Grade, right? You might not be in charge of caring for 600,000 men! But even today you can be caring and sensitive toward your mom, your dad, your siblings, and even the ones that are sitting next to you in children’s meetings! Let’s be like Moses! Let’s be caring and sensitive toward others!