Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

"Oh no!" exclaimed Mom when she heard a wail from upstairs.

"I bet Katelyn broke something again," said Timothy. "Kate!" Mom called. "What's the problem?" There was no reply, so Mom headed up the stairs with Timothy following close behind. As they reached the top step, Katelyn appeared at Mom's bedroom door.

Timothy wrinkled his nose. "What's that smell?" he asked.

Katelyn's eyes filled with tears. "I was dusting your room like you asked me to, Mom. When I was moving things on the dresser, I accidentally knocked over your perfume--that bottle Aunt Carol gave you. It didn't break, but I guess it wasn't shut tight, and some spilled out. I'm sorry, Mom! I didn't mean to do it."

"Don't worry," said Mom gently. "It was an accident."

"Ugh!" said Timothy, holding his nose. "Why does it smell so bad?

"It doesn't smell bad!" said Katelyn. "It smells good--it's just a bit stronger than it's supposed to be because I spilled it."

Timothy made a gagging sound and pretended to fall to the floor.

Katelyn grinned at her brother. "In my class at church last week, my teacher said Christians should always give off a nice scent--and that includes you, Timothy!"

Timothy looked horrified. "There's no way I'm letting myself smell like that!"

Mom laughed. "I don't think Katelyn's teacher was talking about perfume, Timothy. She was talking about the fragrance of Christ. Right, Katelyn?"

Timothy looked puzzled, but Katelyn nodded. "She said Christians fill the world with the good news of Jesus. She said that's like a sweet-smelling fragrance."

"So, how do we do that--without smelling like this," Timothy asked, pointing toward the spilled perfume.

"When we're helpful, kind to others, forgiving, patient--in other words, when we rely on Jesus to help us treat others with the same kind of love He has shown us--we become channels of His love to those around us," Mom explained. "The Bible refers to that as the fragrance of Christ--and that's a scent both guys and girls should spread around. Does that make sense?"

Timothy grinned at his mom. "Yeah, that does make sense--but no one should be making scents like this perfume!" he said as he covered his nose and mouth. "I'd much rather give off the fragrance of Christ."

–Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
What kind of scent are you spreading around? Are you filling your home, school, and neighborhood with the fragrance of Christ by what you do and say? It's not always easy to love others the way Jesus does, but He promises to work through you so others will be drawn to the sweet-smelling fragrance of His love in your life. Trust Him to help you show others who He is through your words and actions.

Today's Key Verse:
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved. (NKJV) (2 Corinthians 2:15)

Today's Key Thought:
Spread the fragrance of Christ

Bible Reading: John 10:1-5, 14, 27-30

"Brielle, I have a surprise to show you," announced Dad one morning. "Remember the bird's nest I showed you out here?" Dad pointed to a large plant that hung outside the window. "The five eggs in it have all hatched."

Brielle's eyes grew wide as her father lifted her onto a chair so she could peek into the nest. "Where are the baby birds? I don't see anything but a pile of fuzz and twigs in there."

"Watch," said Dad as he cracked open the window. He made clicking noises with his tongue, and suddenly five tiny heads popped up out of the fuzz.

"Oh, I see them!" squealed Brielle. "They have their eyes closed." Gradually the heads sank back into the fuzz. "Do it again, Dad," begged Brielle. So Dad made the clicking noise again, and the five heads popped back up.

Brielle and Dad visited the birds every day. Soon their eyes opened, and they got new, larger feathers. But they eventually stopped responding to Dad's clicking noise. "They know I'm just fooling them and that I'm not really one of their parents coming to bring them dinner," Dad told her when she asked him about it. Then he added, "We're kind of like those baby birds. We have to learn whose voice is whose."

"But I know when it's you telling me something, or when it's Mom," Brielle assured him. "Or Grandma or Grandpa, or Mrs. Jones, or whoever."

"Yes, but we have to be able to identify God's voice too," Dad said.

"How do we do that?" asked Brielle.

"By learning about God from the Bible. He will never go against what He says there. The more we learn about who God is, the easier it becomes to recognize His voice."

Brielle thought for a moment. "Well, I know God loves people because He sent Jesus to die for us, so He will always tell us to love people too."

"It sounds like you're learning to recognize God's voice already," said Dad with a smile. "Other voices we hear might tell us to do whatever we want, but God's voice reminds us that only Jesus can satisfy our hearts and fill our lives with hope, joy, and peace. He's the one who feeds our souls with His love, and we need to learn to recognize His voice and do what He says."

–Pauline Youd

How About You?
Do you recognize God's voice when He speaks to you? In today's Bible reading, Jesus refers to Himself as the good shepherd and those who know Him as His sheep. Sheep recognize their shepherd's voice, and as you grow in your relationship with Jesus, you'll learn more about Him and what His voice sounds like. Get to know Him better by reading and studying the Bible, and listen to what He says.

Today's Key Verse:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (NKJV) (John 10:27)

Today's Key Thought:
Learn to recognize God's voice

Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

"Mom! Mom!" called Wyatt one morning. "Look what happened!" He clutched a glass jar with holes punched in the lid and some twigs and leaves on the inside.

Mom and Emily, Wyatt's little sister, went to see. Mom took the jar, and they peered through the glass. "Oh, cool!" said Mom.

"Cool?" wailed Emily. "How can you say that? Wriggly's dead! He's all closed up in that dead piece of skin. He's not even moving!"

"It's okay, honey," said Mom. "He's just beginning the next phase of his life. I know you liked Wriggly as a caterpillar, but this is all part of God's plan for caterpillars. You knew this would happen. We talked about it, remember?"

"Yeah, Emily," said Wyatt. "When the time is right, caterpillars like Wriggly weave a chrysalis around themselves, and then they change."

"Oh, right," said Emily. "I forgot."

"The chrysalis is what you see around Wriggly now," said Mom. "In a way, he dies as a caterpillar while he's in the chrysalis. But in a few weeks, you'll get to see him as a new creature. He won't be a caterpillar anymore--he'll be a butterfly." Mom smiled. "It reminds me of when a person becomes a Christian," she added. "We're spiritually dead when we're born into this world. But when we place our faith in Jesus, we become part of God's family, and we're changed. We become alive in Him. Wriggly will be more beautiful when he leaves that chrysalis, and our new life in Christ is much more beautiful and free than the old one was."

Wyatt grinned. "And we didn't even have to spin a chrysalis!"

Mom laughed. "Nope--God does the work in us. He gives us the Holy Spirit, who transforms us and makes us new."

"When Wriggly comes out of the chrysalis, all new and beautiful, do you think I should give him a new name?" asked Wyatt.

"That might be a good idea," said Mom with a smile. "I don't think I've ever seen a wriggly butterfly!"

–Lyndel F. Walker

How About You?
Did you know that without Jesus, you're spiritually dead? But the good news is that you can be alive! Jesus gives new life to those who trust Him as their Savior. When you trust in Him, He gives you eternal life that starts that very moment! God says you actually become a new person when Jesus gives you life through the Holy Spirit. Trust in Jesus today, and He will give you a new, beautiful life. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse:
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (NLT) (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus gives new life

Bible Reading: Matthew 4:18-22

Ruben sighed. He wished a fish would take the bait on his hook. At last the bobber began to jiggle. "I've finally got

a bite!" Ruben jerked the pole quickly, but there was no fish, and most of the bait was gone.

"That must be the big one that got away," Grandpa said with a chuckle as he handed Ruben a fresh worm to put on the hook. "Don't give up. Try again."

A little later, Ruben pulled up his line again. "I got one this time!" He took a fish off the hook and put it in the pail of water.

"You sure did!" said Grandpa. "Let's see how many more we can catch."

After Ruben and Grandpa caught several more fish, Grandpa put the oars in place and rowed for shore. "Jesus talked to His disciples about fishing," Grandpa said as he pulled on the oars. "Some of them fished for a living, so they understood fish talk. Do you remember what Jesus said they should do?"

"He told them to fish for people." Ruben grinned. "But how do you do that, Grandpa? People don't eat worms."

Grandpa laughed. "That's true. So you need to offer them a different kind of food--spiritual food. You offer them the Bread of Life. That's what Jesus called Himself, remember? He's the only one who can satisfy our souls and give us true life."

Ruben thought about that for a moment. "People don't always bite though."

"No, they don't," said Grandpa. "Some don't want to hear about Jesus at all. Others are like fish that just nibble--they're curious at first, but lose interest after a while. But…" Grandpa's eyes sparkled like the water around the boat. "Other people are like the fish we caught. They want to know all they can and eventually decide to trust Jesus as their Savior." He pointed to the fish in the bucket. "We kept on fishing even though they weren't biting at first, right? And it paid off. We need to keep fishing for people too."

Ruben grinned as he admired the fish they had caught. "So even when it seems like they're not biting, we have to keep telling people about Jesus."

–Carolyn E. Yost

How About You?
Do you fish for people? Do you share your faith and tell others about Jesus and how much He loves them? It can be frustrating when people don't seem to want to listen, but don't give up. Let others know what He's doing in your life--maybe by mentioning a prayer that was answered or a Bible verse that helped you during a rough time. Most importantly, keep praying for those who don't know Jesus and showing them His love.

Today's Key Verse:
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." (NIV) (Matthew 4:19)

Today's Key Thought:
Fish for people

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

Thea turned a page and showed a picture of Papa Bear to her little sister, then continued to read the story aloud. "'Who's been eating my porridge?' growled Papa Bear."

Their brother Eamon spoke up. "Papa Bear could have found out who ate it if he had lifted fingerprints from his spoon. Everybody has a different set of prints. No two are alike--ever. Match the prints and you've got the criminal."

"That's great, Eamon. Now let us finish the story," said Thea.

But Eamon grabbed his magnifying glass and held it above Thea's fingers. "See those ridges? They leave a mark on everything you touch. Police investigators use special powders to dust for fingerprints. The powder sticks to the invisible ridge marks. The investigator carefully brushes away the dust between the ridges and takes a picture of it." Eamon sat back. "The print can be lifted with print-lifting tape too."

"Eamon! We don't care about fingerprints right now. We just want to read the story," said Thea.

"Well, I just thought you should know in case you get any ideas about going into my room and messing with my stuff," Eamon said with a smirk. "I know how to lift prints with the detective kit I got for my birthday, so you'll be sorry if you do!"

Thea rolled her eyes. "Like I'd want to touch anything in your messy room!"

"I think there's another kind of print we should be more concerned about," said Mom, who had come into the room. "We need to think about the prints we're leaving on other people's lives."

"Prints on people's lives? What does that mean?" asked Eamon.

"I'm talking about the impressions we make on others," Mom replied. "Like fingerprints, they identify us--not by ridges, but by what's in our hearts. Our words and actions leave behind impressions that affect others. As Christians, we want those impressions to match the love Jesus has put in our hearts."

"Because then we'll be pointing people to Him, right?" asked Thea.

"Right," said Mom. "We need to speak and act in a way that helps people know how much Jesus loves them. No two people have the same fingerprints, but when we rely on Jesus to help us love others the way He loves us, the impressions we leave behind will point to Him."

–Lucinda J. Rollings

How About You?
What kind of impressions do you leave on others? Are the things you do and say kind and uplifting--or selfish and hurtful? If you're a Christian, the impressions you leave on others should point to Jesus. He shows His love for us through qualities like kindness, patience, and forgiveness. Treat others the same way so the impressions you leave behind identify you as someone who has His love in your heart.

Today's Key Verse:
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (NIV) (John 13:35 )

Today's Key Thought:
Leave good impressions