BUDDIES
WELCOME TO WEEK 1
Who is your best friend? What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done for them or to help them? We will sometimes go to great lengths to help a friend or help make their day special. God wants us to have friendships that last and show how much we care. This month we will read about Ruth and Naomi. Although parts of their story seem like a fairytale, we can trust that God wants our story to end in an unbelievable way too!
BIBLE STORY
Friendship is something we all enjoy and it's important to have loyal friends. Let’s think of friend combinations that are common. I’m going to say one characters name and you tell who is their companion.
Mickey Mouse….Minnie Mouse
James….John
Burt….Ernie
Lightning McQueen…Mater
Sherlock Holmes…Watson
List other combinations your child might know from the books, movies or people they are familiar with.
Friendships mean a lot to us. Think of a person you consider to be a good friend. What does it feel like to have a good friend? How would you describe this friend? Are they loyal? Are they trustworthy? Do they always want things to go their way? Are they able to share well? We can then ask ourselves those same questions. Are we that type of friend to the people around us. Having a good friend can make a bad day turn into a good one. They can turn your sadness into laughing! God wants us to have relationships with others that help us feel better and give us good company. The bible tells us a story of two women who were great friends. As you listen to the story today, ask yourself the same questions to see what type of friendship they had with each other.
Read or listen to the scripture Ruth 1
Why did Elimelek and Ruth and their 2 sons move to Moab? (There was a famine in Bethlehem)
After Elimelek died, what happened to Ruth and thee 2 sons?(They married Moabitee women)
What then happened to the 2 sons? (They also died)
What did Ruth plan to do after her sons died? (Move back to Bethlehem because the famine was over)
As the women began traveling to Judah, what did Ruth suggest the young ladies do? (Return to their mother’s home to remarry)
How did the daughters react to Naomi’s direction to return home? (They wept aloud)
What reason did Naomi give for the daughters to return to their home? (Naomi could not provide any more sons for them to marry but if they went home perhaps they could find another husband)
Who returned home as Naomi requested? (Orpah)
What was Ruth’s reply? (Where you go, I will go, where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, your God, my God. Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried.)
What did Naomi tell her people to call her when she returned home? (Mara, because God had made her life bitter)
What was just beginning when they returned to Bethlehem? (The barley harvest was beginning).
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Activity
Our friends hold a special place in our hearts. Ruth and Naomi show what good friends are willing to do for each other. Jump around the room and try to jump on the hearts that describe a good friend. Place hearts on the ground, spread out around the room.
Materials: printed hearts, cut out
Alternate
Make a friendship Collage. Draw or color the picture of you and your friend. Then find words or pictures from a magazine that describe what you and your friend like to do together. Paste the pictures or words around the center picture of friends.
Materials: construction paper, old magazine or old pictures, scissors, glue
Independent activity:
Show your friend you care about their friendship. Create two friendship bracelets and share one of them with a friend. Use the following website to find a bracelet demonstration you can follow as well as have the supplies.
Materials: materials based on bracelet chosen
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
How was Ruth a companion to Naomi?
How did Ruth show Naomi she loved her deeply?
Who is a good companion to you?
What do you do for your friends that makes you a good companion to them?
How is God our companion today?
What are some things you can ask of God because He is always with you?
What are some things the Bible has to say about friendship or companionship?
Practical Application at Home
There are lots of stories in the Bible about companionships that were strong such as David and Jonathan. David considered Jonathan a closer friend than a brother. Think about the story of David and Jonathan and say which friendship the statements is describing. It may describe both the friendship of Jonathan and David, or Naomi and Ruth.
Left their family to be with their friend (both)
Went to work to help take care of their friend (Ruth)
Ran away in order to keep their friend safe (David)
Was willing to give up the throne so their friend could take it (Jonathan)
Welcomed their friend into their family and community (Naomi)
Risked being killed to save their friend (Jonathan and Ruth)
Accepted an unknown future in order to stay loyal to their friend (Jonathan, David, Ruth)
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Enjoy the cool weather and take a nature walk. Observe the things God created and how they work together in His plan. What part do each of us play in God’s plan for us?