Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term - Primary 3

WEEK 10

Subject: Christian Religious Studies

Class: Primary 3

Term: 3^rd Term

Topic: Kindness in action

Performance objectives: At the end of this lesson, pupils should be able to

1. Explain ‘kindness in action’.

2. Identify instances of kindness in action in the Bible.

3. State why we should be kind to people.

4. Explain the expected reward of kindness in action.

Guide to Bible passages (Luke 10: 25-35; Ruth 1: 1-22; and 2: 1-23)

CONTENT

Kindness in action

Kindness in action means a special or an excellent way of helping or caring for someone or people.

Instances of kindness in action in the Bible

The story of Ruth and Naomi

Ruth the daughter-in-law of Naomi was one of those recorded in the Bible that showed kindness in action.

There was famine in Israel at a time judges were ruling. So, a man called Elimelech from the city of Bethlehem left Israel with his family members. They went to a country called Moab. Elimelech’s wife was called Naomi. They had two sons named Mahlon and Chilon. Later, Elimelech, Naomi’s husband died. While they were in Moab, Naomi’s two sons married Moabite women. Their names were Orphah and Ruth. The two sons of Naomi died after living with their wives for about ten years. They did not have children. The two widows of Naomi’s sons were alone with Naomi, their mother-in-law.

When Naomi heard that famine had ended in Israel and that God had blessed the people with food, she felt it would be better for her to return to Bethlehem. Naomi then told her daughters-in-law that they should return to their mother’s houses because she was about to go back to Israel. She prayed for them. She asked God to bless them for having stayed with her even after the death of their husbands. She kissed them, and her two daughters-in-law wept. They said to Naomi that they would go back with her to Israel, but Naomi said no. Naomi explained to her daughters-in-law that she had nobody to make them have children since her husband had die and her two sons that married them had died also. The two daughters-in-law wept again. After that Orphah kissed Naomi and left, but Ruth refused to go.

Naomi tried again to convince Ruth to go. Instead of leaving, Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave, for where you go I will go and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God; where you die, I will die and be buried …’When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to remain with her, she went back to the city of Bethlehem in Israel with her. When people saw

Naomi, they were surprised and so they said, ‘Is this Naomi?’ Naomi told them not to call her Naomi again. She said that they should call her Mara because God had treated her badly. She complained that she left Bethlehem with her full house and returned empty.

The story of Ruth and Boaz

The time Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem was the time for barley harvest. Ruth said to Naomi that it would be better for her to go and see on whose farm God would direct her to work. When Ruth got where there were many farms, she started working with some reapers (harvesters). Then she got near a farm that belonged to Boaz, a rich relation of Naomi’s husband. Immediately Boaz saw her, he asked the reapers who Ruth was. They told him that she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law from Moab. When Ruth saw Boaz, she asked him if he could allow her work on his farm, Boaz agreed. Boaz even told her that she should work only on his own farm with his harvesters. Boaz ordered his male harvesters not to molest her. Boaz also told Ruth that any time she wanted to drink water; she should take from the water drawn by his male harvesters. She did not need to punish herself. Ruth said to Boaz that she was surprised the way he was caring for her. She thanked Boaz for being very kind to her. Boaz explained to her that he had heard how she was kind and faithful to her mother-in-law, Naomi, even after the death of Naomi’s son, her husband. Boaz prayed for her, saying that since she left her people in Moab and returned with her mother-in-law to Israel, that the God of Israel would bless her. When it was meal time, the rich Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him. Ruth worked till evening time with Boaz’s harvesters. When she was about to go, they measured what she harvested and gave her. When she got back home, she handed over to Naomi, her mother-in-law, the quantity of barley they gave her. She also gave her (Naomi) the excess food she brought back. Naomi asked her where she worked and she explained that it was in the barley field of a man called Boaz. Ruth also explained to her how kind Boaz was to her. When Naomi heard that, she thanked God for showing them kindness. Naomi explained to Ruth that Boaz was one of her husband’s nearest relations.

Ruth explained to Naomi that Boaz had told her to continue working on his farm with his harvesters, Naomi was happy. She told Ruth not to go to any other farm to work because it was only on Boaz’s farm that she would be sure of protection from male harvesters.

Ruth remained with Naomi, and worked throughout the barley harvest time with the reapers working for Boaz. Eventually, Ruth had a child for Naomi’s late son through Boaz. The son was named Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of King David. From the story of Ruth and Naomi, we see that Ruth was specially or outstandingly kind to Naomi, her mother-in-law; while in the story of Ruth and Boaz, Boaz was very kind to Ruth because of her own kindness to her mother-in-law. Boaz was a close relation of Naomi’s late husband. He was grateful to Ruth for coming back to Israel with Naomi. Boaz even prayed for Ruth, that God should bless her. Eventually God blessed Ruth with a child who was the grandfather of King David.

The story of the Good Samaritan

A lawyer asked Jesus what he should do to gain eternal life. Jesus told him that he should love God sincerely and love his neighbour as himself. The lawyer then asked Jesus the person he should see as his neighbour. Jesus used the story of the Good Samaritan to explain to him that he should see anybody in need of help as his neighbour. He should show kindness to the person as a sign of love.The story Jesus told the lawyer was that there was a Jewish man that was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Along the way, he was attacked by robbers. They wounded him badly and took away everything he had. The robbers finally left the Jewish man half-dead by the roadside. His fellow Jews saw him and did not he him. One was a priest and another one was an assistant priest. It was a Samaritan that saw the man and had pity on him. The Samaritan came down from his donkey and started cleaning the man’s wounds.

After cleaning the man’s wounds, he put him on his donkey and took him to a nearby clinic. There, he deposited money and told the worker in the clinic to treat the man well. The Samaritan promised to come back to pay any extra money they should spend treating the man.

From the story, the Samaritan showed ‘kindness in action’ to the Jewish man. He was, therefore, called the Good Samaritan. The Jewish man that was wounded was not shown kindness by his fellow Jews. The Samaritan that helped the Jewish man did not even care that the Samaritans were hated by the Jews. His concern was to help someone he had seen that was in need.

Reasons for being kind to people

We should show kindness to people for many reasons. Some of the reasons are:

1. God our father is kind to us as his children. He provides good things for us. He has given us air, water and life itself. When we disobey Him and beg for forgiveness, he pardons us. There are so many other ways God is showing kindness to us. We should therefore be grateful to God for his kindness by being kind to others.

2. God says in His word that we should be kind. Being kind to people is one of the ways we obey God. If we do not care for the people that are in need, we are disobeying God, and He will not be happy with us.

3. We should be kind to demonstrate love. If we say that we love others, we have to show it by being kind. Examples are:

a) Praying for the sick and visiting them.

b) Donating food, clothes and money to the poor.

4. We should be kind to people to reduce the suffering of those that are in need. If we are kind, God uses us to save the lives of many people.

Benefits of being kind

We receive the reward of being kind to people. The reward can come to us in different ways. For example:

1 God will be happy with us and even send people to help us when we are in need. For example, God used Boaz to help Ruth and pay her for her kindness.

2 Kindness brings respect or gives one a good name. In most cases, people that are kind are respected and loved. For example:

a) The Samaritan in the Bible showed kindness to the wounded Jew, and so he was called a ‘Good Samaritan’.

b) Mother Theresa was known for helping children that were suffering. She was a good Christian missionary.

3. Kindness makes us happy. When we help people that are in need, they become happy and their happiness makes us happy.

Moral lessons

1. We should always be kind to people because it shows that we are obedient children of God.

2. If we are kind to people by caring for those in need, God would send people to help us when we need help.

3. We have to always show kindness to reduce the suffering of those in need.

Remember:

1. Kindness in action means helping a person or people that are in need in an outstanding or special way.

2. Ruth the Moabite who was one of the daughters-in-law of Naomi was One of those in the Bible that showed kindness in action.

3. She returned with Naomi to Israel without bothering that Naomi’s son that married her had died and she had not had any child.

4. God used Boaz, a rich man, to bless Ruth for her kindness to Naomi her mother-in-law.

5. The Good Samaritan helped a Jewish man that suffered a robbery attack. The Samaritan did not bother that the Jews hated his own people.

6. We should always be kind to people to show love, reduce the suffering of the needy, obey God’s word, and show gratitude to God for being kind to us.

7. When we are kind to people, God is happy with us. He sends people to show kindness to us when we are in need.

8. In most cases, kindness makes one respected. Kind people are called good people.

Strategies and activities

Step1: Teacher revises the previous topic

Step 2: Teacher introduces the new I

Step 3:  Teacher explains the new topic

Step 4: Teacher welcomes pupils questions

Step 5:  Teacher evaluates the pupils

Assessment and evaluation

1. Explain ‘kindness in action’.

2. Identify instances of kindness in action in the Bible.

3. State why we should be kind to people

4. Explain the expected reward of kindness in action.

Wrap up (conclusion): Teacher goes over the topic once again to enhance better understanding.

Exercise

1. What is kindness in action?

2. Give two examples of people that demonstrated kindness in action in the Bible.

3. Give some examples of how you can show kindness to people.

4. How do you describe people that are kind?

Fill in the gaps with correct answers.

5. One of the benefits of showing kindness is that_______________.

6. When we are kind to people, God _______________.