8 Beatitudes are described in Matthew chapter five. Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with eight blessings. They are known as the Beatitudes. However, they can be hard to understand, especially for children. Consequently, we’ve been describing each Beatitude and learning how to integrate it using a children’s book. This week is our final week, and we will look at the 8th bee’s attitude of boldness and bravery because we are blessed when persecuted for righteousness.
Among the 8 Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Of the 8 Beatitudes, this final blessing can be confusing for children. Who wants to be persecuted? Jesus knew that not everyone would agree with Him. He also wanted us to know that if we are bold and brave enough to stand up for Him, others might not agree. They may even dislike us or not accept us because we believe in God. Therefore, using a children’s book, this article will explore ways to integrate bravery and boldness for God.
Little Pot’s fruit-bearing journey
The 8 Beatitudes are seen within the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. Welcome to Little Pot’s fruit-bearing journey. Little Pot is a character in the children’s books about a potter and the different vessels he creates. It is a vessel that holds many additional items for the Potter. As it does, it tries to discover its purpose. Eventually, Little Pot learns it is a fruit pot, and the Potter can grow his fruit inside it. Therefore, Little Pot is a fruit-bearing vessel created by the Potter. Likewise, Little Pot’s process to grow strawberries mirrors how our creator produces the fruit of the Spirit through us. You can sign up to learn more about that process here:
A part of the process includes pollination. That sometimes happens with the help of bees. Consequently, Little Pot refers to the 8 Beatitude blessings as “Bee Attitudes.” Alongside Little Pot, we explore these attitudes, examine their meanings, and discuss practical ways to integrate them into different subjects using children’s books. Let’s join in and learn a lot from Little Pot as we explore the 8 Beatitudes:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
Matthew 5:10
Lessons on the 8 Beatitudes
Likewise, the eight lessons full of Beatitude activities are listed below. Click on each to read that specific lesson.
- Lesson 1: (Matt. 5:3) Blessed are the poor in Spirit -Be 🐝 Humble; depend on God.
- Lesson 2: (Matt. 5:4) Blessed are those who mourn -Be 🐝 Sorry for your sin.
- Lesson 3: (Matt. 5:5) Blessed are the meek. -Be 🐝 obedient all the time
- Lesson 4: (Matt. 5:6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. -Be 🐝 eager; God will win.
- Lesson 5: (Matt. 5:7) Blessed are the merciful. -Be 🐝 a friend to everyone.
- Lesson 6: (Matt. 5:8) Blessed are the pure in heart. -Be 🐝 without sin and stay pure.
- Lesson 7: (Matt. 5:9) Blessed are the peacemakers. -Be 🐝 the one for peace and fun.
- Lesson 8: (Matt. 5:10) Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness. -Be 🐝 bold and brave for God.
Go here if you haven’t read Little Pot’s introduction to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.
Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Persecuted is a strong word. I can think of times when others have disagreed with me, and there was even a time when I was not chosen for a job because the employer visited this website and felt I took too strong of a stand for Christ. However, when I think about how Jesus suffered and even how his disciples were persecuted, my “sufferings” are laughable. Consequently, I usually feel like this blessing is not for me. That is until Ephesians 1:11-14 tells me my inheritance is the sum of all God has promised me in salvation.
Inheriting the Kingdom of God begins with the gift of salvation. It’s not just a future place we go to when we die. As discussed in the previous Beatitudes, accepting Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as payment for our sins makes us His child. His suffering allows us to inherit the Kingdom of God. He was brave and bold enough to undergo that persecution. Therefore, we need to have a bold and courageous attitude where we stand up for Him.
Blessed are those Persecuted. Bee 🐝 bold and brave for God.
As I searched for a book about bravery and boldness, I thought presenting children with real-life examples would be necessary. One of my favorite authors is Dandi Daley Mackall. I love how her children’s books rhyme. In her book Off to Plymouth Rock, she tells the story of the brave and bold pilgrims. Begin your activities by reading the book. Available here.
If you are curious about the real story of Thanksgiving, click here.
Introduction: Today, we will take a historical adventure and learn about the Pilgrim’s long voyage to America.
After reading the story, use the following ideas to extend the learning across other subjects.
Bible Integration:
Use the book to help children understand the importance of staying faithful and enduring the “race” of their Christian lives. It is essential to stand up for Jesus amongst those surrounding us.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1
Language Arts Integration
See how many rhyming words you can find in the story.
- sea – flee
- ship – trip
- teams – dreams
- ahoy – boy
- share – prayer
- pounding – abounding
- praying – staying
- hoeing – growing
- cherries – berries
- veering – clearing
- splashing – flashing
- grieving – believing
Reading/Writing Integration
Pretend you are a pilgrim and write a story about your journey. Make sure you include complex problems that require your characters to be bold and brave. Create a story map using a picture of a ship and its sails to plan your story.
Math Integration and Social Studies Integration
Students can learn to measure distance using miles. Using a map or globe, find the approximate miles the Pilgrims would have traveled. Compare that distance to how far other places they are familiar with would be. How far did they go if they traveled to another state or country? Was it longer or shorter than the Pilgrims traveled?
A Song for the 8 Beatitudes.
We’ve created a song to help us remember and learn the 8 Beatitudes. You can download a free copy of the music. Each line matches a Beatitude within the Biblical text. You will also be added to our Fruitful Friday email list so you can continue to … “Learn a lot from Little Pot!”
Growing Peace and the Fruit of the Spirit
We can be a peacemaker when the Holy Spirit grows peace through us. Little Pot discovers that it is a vessel created to be a fruit pot. Little Pot’s fruit-bearing cycle explains more. Add your first name and email below, and we’ll send you the seven steps to growing the fruit of the Spirit. You will also be added to our Fruitful Friday email list so you can continue to … “Learn a lot from Little Pot!”
Disclosure: The links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Dawn Stephens
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