TEXT: Genesis 4:1-7

“Hi, Mom. I’m home,” Tricia called.

“Hi, Honey,” her mother answered. “How was your day at school?”

“Not too great,” Tricia replied sadly as she took off her jacket. “I didn’t get a very good grade on my reading test.”

Her mother looked puzzled. “Really? What was the problem? We went over all that material last night and I thought you seemed to know it.”

Tricia sighed. “Well, the biggest problem was that I didn’t follow the instructions. On the last part of the test, Mrs. Cooper gave five questions. I was supposed to answer each question with a complete sentence. Instead, I just wrote one word answers so I could finish faster. Mrs. Cooper gave me a zero on that part.”

Tricia’s Mom hugged her gently. “I’m sorry, Tricia. I know this test was an important part of your grade and you did study hard for it. But do you think you have learned a lesson from this?”

“Yeah . . .” Tricia said thoughtfully. “I’m learning that you really do have to follow directions if you want things to come out right. I should have already learned that by now. Remember how mixed up I got on my piano lesson last week just because I didn’t follow the instructions?”

Her mother smiled and motioned for Tricia to sit down at the table where she had placed a plate of cookies. “I think you are getting the idea, Tricia. It is an important lesson to learn, because not following directions can hurt us in serving God also.”

“What do you mean?” Tricia asked.

“God’s Word is full of instructions for us,” her mother replied. “When we don’t do what He says, we miss out on the blessings He has promised.”

Tricia grinned and said, “Mom, our Sunday school lesson this Sunday was the perfect example of that! It was about Cain and Abel. They both knew how they should make an offering to God. Abel followed the instructions but Cain didn’t. God accepted the offering that Abel made because he did it the way God wanted it done. Cain’s offering was refused.”

Tricia paused and thought a little more. “I’m really going to pay attention to God’s Word and do what He says. If I do that, God will help me remember to follow other instructions too.”

One of the things a child must learn is the importance of obedience. That is the subject of this lesson which begins our unit entitled, “Let’s Do It God’s Way.”

To illustrate to your child why obedience is important, do a project together in which he must follow your directions exactly in order to achieve the desired results. Guide him through the process of making Very Berry Milk Punch. In a blender, combine 1 cup of milk, an 8-ounce container of vanilla yogurt, 6 strawberries, 2 teaspoons of honey, and 4 ice cubes. Cover and blend until all the ice pieces are gone. Pour into glasses.

As you enjoy your punch together, talk about what would have happened if buttermilk had been used instead of regular milk. What if salt had been added instead of honey? Stress the importance of obedience, because this is God’s way.

FAMILY DEVOTIONS