No matter how you choose to celebrate Christ this season, let the Messiah–not the mayhem–reign in your quiet Christ-focused heart.

Read: John 1:1-2, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Reflect: Our words reveal to others our hearts and minds. In the beginning was God’s Word and then He sent His Word to dwell among us, so that we could experience Him, and Jesus could set us free. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. When Christ came to the earth, He came to bring us life, and then He commissioned us to speak life to others. In the beginning was His life-giving Word. Let’s go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere!

Respond: Lord, You are the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end. Thank you for breathing true life into my dead heart. Help the words that I speak and the meditations of my heart to be pleasing to You (Psalm 19:14). Amen.

Tot Time:  Spend a few moments building one another up by using life-giving words. Ask each child to give examples of words that hurt them, and then teach them how to allow God to heal those wounds through forgiveness and focusing on His uplifting Truth.