PopTart and Bean’s New Adventure: Meeting Jesus at Church
PopTart and Bean, best friends and sisters, were walking home from church, their Bibles tucked under their arms. The church’s bells had stopped ringing, and their mom trailed behind them, chatting with a friend. The sisters walked in thoughtful silence for a moment before PopTart, the deep thinker, spoke.
“Bean, what if Jesus showed up at church next week? What would you do?” she asked, her wide eyes sparkling with curiosity.Bean tilted her head and looked up at the sky as if imagining the moment. “I think I’d run up and hug Him! But what if I didn’t know it was Him? Like, what if He looked like a regular person?”
PopTart stopped walking and frowned. “That’s tricky. How would we know it was Jesus?”
Bean thought for a moment and then said, “Well, remember what we learned today in Bible school? Jesus said when we’re kind to someone in need, it’s like being kind to Him.” She quoted, “‘When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.’”
PopTart’s face lit up. “So, if we saw someone who looked lonely or needed help, we should treat them like we would treat Jesus?”
Bean nodded. “Exactly! That’s what Jesus wants us to do. But, PopTart, how do you think we treat people now? Like, would we treat Jesus that way?”
Bean nodded slowly. “Yeah. He looked like she didn’t have a lot of nice clothes. I kind of avoided her
because I didn’t know what to say.”
PopTart’s voice softened. “I think we should’ve smiled at her. What if that was Jesus in disguise?”
Bean’s eyes grew wide. “You’re right! If it were Jesus, we would’ve done everything to make Him feel welcome.”
The sisters walked in silence for a moment, both deep in thought. Then PopTart said, “You know what? Next time, let’s pretend everyone at church is Jesus. If we see someone who looks lonely, let's smile at them, and if someone needs help, we’ll do what we can.”
Bean grinned. “Deal. And it doesn’t matter what they look like or if they’re different from us. We’ll remember that everyone is a child of God.”
PopTart smiled, and hand in hand the two sisters skipped the rest of the way home, already planning how they would be extra kind to everyone at church next week.
Bible References and Explanations
1. Treating Others Like Jesus
Matthew 25:40 (NLT): “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.”
Explanation: Jesus teaches us that kindness shown to others, especially those in need, is like showing kindness directly to Him. This reminds us to treat everyone with love and respect.
2. Loving Your Neighbor
Luke 10:25-37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Explanation: In this story, Jesus highlights that our neighbor is anyone who needs help, regardless of their background or appearance. The Samaritan showed love and care to someone different from himself, demonstrating how we should act.
3. Recognizing Everyone as God’s Child
Genesis 1:27: “So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God, He created them; male and female, He created them.”
Explanation: Every person is made in God’s image, which means we should treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their differences.
4. Avoiding Favoritism
James 2:1-4: “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism…”
Explanation: James warns against judging people by their appearance or status. Instead, we should welcome and love everyone equally.
5. Welcoming Strangers
Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Explanation: This verse encourages us to be kind and welcoming to everyone because we never know how God might be working through our actions.
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