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9. Dive Deeper: Be Kind and Compassionate (Ephesians 4:32)
- Collected Joys
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
About our Dive Deeper Series
Welcome! This post accompanies our newest book, Memory Verses in Action —created to help kids not only memorize Scripture but also live it out in daily life.
Each post of our Dive Deeper series includes extra resources for every verse in the book—featuring activities, songs, teaching videos, and reflection questions to help kids understand and apply God’s Word.
To learn more about the book and explore all the available resources, click here.
Dive Deeper: Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.”
— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Kindness is one of the best ways to show God’s love! This verse teaches that when we are kind, caring, and forgiving—just like Jesus—we help others see what God is like. Every small act of kindness makes a big difference.
In Memory Verses in Action, kids learned that God calls us to treat others with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Below you’ll find ideas, questions, and activities to help your family live out this verse every day.
🌟 Activities
Secret Mission!
Assign each family member a “secret mission” to serve someone without being noticed—like making a sibling’s bed or leaving a kind note. At week’s end, share what you did and how it felt to serve quietly.
Kindness & Forgiveness Cards
Make homemade cards to share God’s love in words. Encourage your child to write:
A Kindness Card to thank someone or encourage a friend.
A Forgiveness Card to say “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you.”
Decorate each card with hearts, crosses, or bright colors. Deliver them as a surprise or tuck them somewhere special to brighten someone’s day.
Family Kindness Challenge
Put Ephesians 4:32 into action with a one-week “Be Kind & Compassionate” Challenge! Each day, choose one way to show kindness, compassion, or forgiveness. At the end of the week, talk about how these small acts helped your family share God’s love. Here are some examples:
Speak Kind Words: Say one kind word to everyone you talk to today. Kind words show love and can brighten someone’s day!
Help Without Being Asked: Find a way to help at home, school, or church without being told. Serving others quietly is one of the best ways to show kindness.
Forgive a Friend or Sibling: If someone hurt your feelings this week, choose to forgive them. Forgiving others shows that God’s love lives in your heart.
Write a Thank-You Card: Make or decorate a card for someone who has helped or encouraged you. Gratitude reminds us to see God’s goodness in others.
Pray for Someone Who Needs Encouragement: Think of someone who might be sad, sick, or lonely and pray for them by name. Prayer is one of the kindest things we can do for others.
Show Compassion in Action: Notice someone who needs help—a classmate, a neighbor, or a sibling—and do something thoughtful for them. Compassion means caring enough to take action.
Share God’s Love: Tell someone “God loves you,” or invite them to church or Sunday school. Sharing God’s love is the greatest act of kindness of all.
Additional Discussion Topics and Questions
In this verse, kids learn that kindness and forgiveness come from God’s love working in our hearts. Use these questions to help your child understand what it means to show compassion, even when it’s hard.
It can be helpful to break this verse down into three big truths:
Be Kind
Kindness means thinking about others first—speaking gently, helping cheerfully, and showing care through your words and actions. Even small acts of kindness can make a big difference and show God’s love.
Be Compassionate
Compassion means caring about how others feel. When someone is sad, hurt, or left out, God wants us to reach out with love and comfort—just as Jesus did for others.
Forgive as God Forgave You
Forgiveness means letting go of anger or hurt, even when it’s hard. God forgave us through Jesus, and He calls us to forgive others in the same way—with love, grace, and a willing heart.
Additional discussion questions:
According to this verse, what three things are we called to do?
How can you be kind to others?
How does it feel when someone is kind to you?
How did Jesus show kindness?
What’s one way you can show kindness or compassion to someone this week?
What does being compassionate mean?
How can you show compassion when someone is sad or hurt?
What does it mean to forgive someone?
According to this verse, who has forgiven you?
How did Jesus show forgiveness?
Is there someone you need to forgive?
How can forgiving others show God’s love?
🎶 Song / Video
Check out this fun song by Slugs & Bugs! It is a great way to learn Ephesians 4:32!
🌟 Closing Thought
Ephesians 4:32 reminds us that kindness, compassion, and forgiveness start with God’s love. When we choose to care for others, speak gently, and forgive like Jesus, we show the world what His love looks like.
Each small act of kindness can shine a big light for God—at home, at school, and wherever you go. Keep practicing kindness this week and let God’s love guide everything you do!
✨ Next Dive Deeper:
Micah 6:8 – What Does the Lord Require?
In the next Dive Deeper lesson, we’ll explore what it means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Kids will learn that living God’s way means doing what’s right, showing kindness, and staying close to Him each day.
Click below to begin the next lesson, or visit our Dive Deeper page for more tools and resources that go along with Memory Verses in Action.
Our Favorite Kids’ Bibles & Devotionals
Looking for more ways to help your child grow in God’s Word? Here are a few of our favorite Bibles, devotionals, and faith-building books for kids! These are wonderful tools to use alongside the Memory Verses in Action series and to encourage everyday conversations about faith at home.
Please note: This section contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we personally use and love!
This is one of our top recommendations! All the verses in Memory Verses in Action come from the NIV translation (except for Philippians 4:13), so kids can easily find and follow each passage in this Bible. It’s filled with colorful illustrations, fun facts, and “Live It!” features that help kids apply God’s Word to daily life. This is a great Bible for elementary-aged readers!
In addition to the standard version, check out this adorable personalized edition. Add your child’s name to make their Bible extra special!
➡️ Explore More Faith Resources
Please visit the links below to see all of our recommended resources:
Thank you for joining us!
Find more resources for Memory Verses in Action below.
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