By Susan Ciancio
Summer is here, the kids are home, and life has calmed down a bit. There’s more time to relax, have conversations, and really focus on what’s important. And one of the most important things in life is how we allow our faith to guide our actions regarding the people around us.
Because we know that faith-filled learning should never stop and building a culture of life never takes a holiday, we created a six-week summer scripture challenge to strengthen your family and help you make a difference in the lives of those around you.
Below are six Bible verses that teach how to treat others and how to build a culture where all people are respected and cherished. We encourage you to read through these yourself, then each week, read one verse aloud with your kids and partake in one of the activities we suggest—or create your own plan—and make this a summer where you truly focus on the well-being of others.
1. Matthew 5:6-9
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read the story of Jesus giving the Sermon on the Mount, in which He gave us the Beatitudes, where He explained the type of people He considers blessed because of their actions. He says, in part, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
How can you be peacemakers this week? Can you work on tempering your frustration or anger when something doesn’t go your way or someone upsets you? Can you watch your tongue and how you talk to others? What about showing mercy to others? Can you pray in front of an abortion clinic, donate to shelters, or buy a meal for a homeless person? Focus on putting others’ needs before your own.
To learn more about the Beatitudes, download our lesson for 3rd and 4th graders. Living the Beatitudes is a beautiful way to explore them all!
2. James 2:14-17
In the book of James, we read, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Faith without works is dead. That means we must live our faith by doing acts of love and charity and by serving others. This is our calling, and it’s how we shine the light of Christ to others.
Carlo Acutis was just a young boy when he died, but he spent his life helping others. In fact, he would often give food to the poor and homeless who lived near his home. We can learn so much from him and from how he treated those around him. This week, look at the people in your community. How can you help them? Can you serve a meal at a shelter, buy food for a food pantry, or donate clothing or toys to a pregnancy resource center? We can all do something to show others that we value them as children of God.
To learn more about Carlo Acutis, download our lesson booklet.
3. 1 Timothy 5:8
“And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Wow! This eye-opening verse highlights the importance of families. We know that family is the foundation of society. God has given us a great gift in our families, and we must love them unconditionally. That means caring for them and putting their wants and needs before our own.
Do we share with our siblings? Do we care for our elderly parents or aunts and uncles? Do we call them and just talk or text with a note of encouragement? Do we give them our time and our love? What can we do today, and every day, to let our family members know how much they mean to us? Think about the members of your family who need you, and make a plan to show they that they matter.
St. John Bosco was a priest who cared for young men who had no families to care for them. Read all about him in our lesson booklet.
4. 1 John 4:19-20
“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
In this sense, our brother is not just our biological brother but anyone. We must care for those around us, especially those who cannot care for themselves. These vulnerable people need our help, our voice, and our actions.
What can you do this week to give voice to the vulnerable? Pray at an abortion facility? Post a pro-life story or meme on social media? Send donations and a note of encouragement to a single mom? This week, think about your responsibility to care for the people around you and how you can best serve them.
To teach your kids more about caring for the vulnerable, download our lesson booklet entitled Caring for the Least of These.
5. Ephesians 4:29
“No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.”
Speaking kindly and with love is something we could all do better. Sometimes we allow anger and frustration to overwhelm us and we say things we don’t mean. This week, let us focus on watching what we say to others and thinking before we speak.
We have two lessons on the Golden Rule, teaching kids in elementary school to do unto others as they would have done to them. Find them on our site.
6. Matthew 25:40
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Whatever we do to others, we also do to Jesus. Likewise, what we don’t do for others, we neglect to do for Jesus. As we go about our days and interact with the people around us, let us keep this in mind. Learning how to see Jesus in others will help us treat them with kindness and compassion. So this week, let us open our eyes and look at those around us with a renewed sense of love. Let us look at our own flaws and vices and determine how we can overcome them and treat others better.
St. Teresa of Calcutta was a beautiful example of seeing Christ in others. She cared for the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick. And she did it all with love. We offer two lessons for kids in elementary school that teach about her life. Download them from our site.
This summer, make the most of your time with your children by teaching them pro-life values and giving them concrete examples of the holy men and women who help us see the value in others. Faith-filled learning starts at home, and when we create holy and compassionate children, they are more likely to grow up to be holy and compassionate adults.