Supplies: Bible; white paper; ink pad (washable if you have it)
TRY
I absolutely LOVE detective stories! So this week, we’re going to be amateur investigators. Using the ink pad and paper, make a set of your fingerprints. It may be easier for you to take each other’s prints. Try to get nice, clear images on the paper. Once your done and your hands are clean, compare your fingerprints. How does your thumb compare to your other fingers? What about left hand vs right hand? Now compare your prints to the rest of the family. Any similarity? When fingerprint detection came on the scene, it revolutionized criminal investigation. Brainstorm other ways fingerprints are used. What makes them so valuable?
READ
Pick someone from your family to read Philippians 1:21-26. Paraphrase for young children.
THINK
Paul knew how awesome Heaven was, enough so that he said that dying would be better: “to die is gain.” At the same time, he recognized how important his role on earth was. Paul knew how many people were learning about Jesus and accepting Him as their Savior directly because of Paul’s teachings. He’s not bragging—he just knew what was what. Because of that reality, even though he longed to join Jesus in Heaven, Paul embraced his call, stuck around, and used his influence to draw people closer to Jesus. “To live is Christ.”
I’m guessing most of you aren’t vying for Heaven yet. Yeah, it’s a great place, but most people I meet—even Christians—aren’t jumping at the bit to get there. At the same time, we’re not staying where we are either. God has placed us in specific environments—neighborhoods, schools, jobs, sports leagues, clubs, volunteer groups—because He wants us to influence the people around us, just like Paul did. The problem is we can’t do that if we’re always running around from place to place being busy. We also can’t do it if we stayed holed up in our own little family with our select group of friends, never letting anyone else into our lives or giving other people the chance to let us into theirs. To really touch people, you have to touch people. If we want to draw people closer to Jesus, we have to stay around long enough to talk with them and build a connection, almost like leaving fingerprints on their heart. That means hanging out more outside where we can see and talk with neighbors. It means hanging out in the break room just to chat with people, or letting someone new sit with us at lunch…even if they’re not that cool. It means being present where we are, being around long enough for people to notice the presence of Jesus, too.
APPLY
Your fingerprints are unique. That’s why they’re so critical in criminal investigations—fingerprints prove that you’ve been someplace. You have a unique “spiritual fingerprint” too, a very God-specific way that you touch people and influence them. Sit in a circle and take a minute to think about the other members of your family. How are they unique? How do they touch people’s hearts in a special way? What’s their God-specific method for connecting other people to Jesus? Now go around and everyone share their thoughts…once around the circle for everyone to share about Dad, once around for Mom, etc. Now take this information and make it make a difference: how can you use your spiritual fingerprints to treat your neighborhood this week?
PRAY
Heavenly Father, we praise You because we are made in Your wonderful image, uniquely woven together for a purpose. Help us to see and understand the part You’ve created for us in our communities, our jobs, our schools. Give us opportunities to stick around and touch the people You’ve placed around us. We want to leave our fingerprints all over our city, in Your holy name, Jesus! Amen.
REPLY
Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog? We'd love to know about it! Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together. If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.
