With riots and struggles people sometimes forget to show respect and kindness. We know some people do bad things and that’s wrong. Sometimes people we trust also do bad things. God wants us to choose kindness and to honor people trying to serve us. That includes law officers like police. We need to instill respect in children too. God created the community workers too and placed His image in them. They are his children.

Make some fun paper puppets of dog mascots police and firefighters use and enjoy chatting about good actions police and firefighters do. Discuss how they choose those careers to help people.  Let the puppets share what the workers do.

Click to Print the patterns and instruction

Fold the paper, cut the face, color and adhere it to the folded paper to make the puppet. If you have family, neighbors, or friends who serve the community, consider doing a kind act for them

Respect and Prayer

Share ways to show respect with words of appreciation, listening and obeying, and smiling

Pray for community workers. Read Romans 13:1-6 that talks about respect for leaders. Be sure to ask God to give them peace and help them stay calm when people disrespect them, break laws, and even throw things at them and call them names. Respect starts in the heart and attitude so be sure you choose to honor people and treat them as you want to be treated.

Protests and Changes

Talk about how protests can be helpful and make leaders aware that we need change. We want to be sure police use safe methods to arrest people that will not hurt them. We want people who are full of anger to learn to forgive and control their anger.

It’s good to review rules and make sure they are the best or make changes when we need to do that or find a better method. Chat about changes you’ve \made like how you wash your hands or covering your face with masks when needed.

Anger and Forgiveness

Discuss anger and how you can develop more self-control. Try taking deep breathes to calm down, thinking of happy things, and praying for God’s help. Talk about your own mistakes when you hurt someone, and you needed forgiveness. Chat about when you forgave someone who hurt you.

Read in Luke 23, especially verse 34, how Jesus forgave people who hurt him and nailed him to the cross. It’ not always easy to forgive someone and it takes time and God’s grace.

Blessings,
Karen