Praise of Others

Today’s kids are growing up in a culture where self-worth is often defined by social media likes and YouTube subscribers. Kids have always sought the approval of their peers, but this desire is exacerbated by the instantaneous feedback they get through electronics. In this week’s Brite lesson, kids learn about the crowd’s praise of Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. Kids can identify with how good it feels to be praised. However, kids can learn that Jesus is the only One who truly deserves our praise and adoration. As you hear your kids discuss social media, point them to the truth that all of that is temporary. Remind them that their worth is found in God’s love for them, not in the number of social media likes. Instead of focusing on praise for ourselves, we can live lives focused on praising Jesus.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: What are some ways that people show what they like on social media?

Discuss: Do kids ever base how they feel about themselves on what others say?

Discuss: What does God say about seeking people’s praise? Say: It can be easy for us to focus on what other people think about us. You may have heard kids talk about how important it is to have likes or follows on social media. Maybe you’ve worried about what friends, teachers or coaches say about you. It always feels good when other people praise us, but it’s a problem when it becomes too important to us. Galatians 1:10 says: For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. We should be most concerned about what God thinks of us instead of other people. We can point all praise and attention to Jesus, instead of trying to get it for ourselves.