Daily Devotional for February 23, 2023
The Copycat
Clay picked up his fork, sorted the peas out of his mixed vegetables, and pushed them off to the side of his plate. Two-year-old Penelope did the same thing. “Why aren’t you eating your peas?” asked Mom.
“I don’t like them,” Clay answered.
“Don’t like ’em,” Penelope repeated.
“Yes, you do, Penelope,” said Mom, scooping some peas onto Penelope’s spoon and holding them up to her mouth.
“Yum,” Penelope said. “More!”
A little later, Clay blew bubbles in his milk. Wide-eyed, Penelope watched him. Then she picked up her glass of milk and blew bubbles in it, spilling milk all over the table.
“Clay! Get a towel and help clean up your sister’s mess,” said Mom.
Clay obediently got the towel. As he began wiping the table, Penelope grabbed it. “Me too,” she said, trying to wipe the table.
“You little copycat,” Clay grumbled. “Mom, make her stop copying me.”
“She copies you because she loves you and wants to be like you,” said Mom.
“You need to remember that no matter where you are, others are always watching you,” Dad told him. “And I’m afraid that not eating your peas and then blowing bubbles in your milk has made you a poor example this evening.”
“Sorry,” mumbled Clay.
“The best way to be a good example is to be a copycat yourself,” Mom said.
“It is?” Clay looked surprised. “Who should I copy? Dad?”
Mom grinned. “That would be a start, since Dad doesn’t blow bubbles in his milk.”
Dad laughed. “Not very often, at least,” he said, winking at Clay. “I think what Mom really means is that, as Christians, we need to follow Jesus as our example. Because He saved us from sin and gave us His Holy Spirit, we can follow His example and show others what He’s like. As He works in our hearts, we become more like Him and can show examples of His love to others. He’s the one we should copy.”
Clay nodded as he finished wiping milk from the table. “Okay, I’ll follow Jesus’s example—and I don’t think He would blow bubbles in His milk either!”
-Lucinda J. Rollings
How about you?
Are you a copycat of Jesus? Do you follow His example by obeying your parents, listening to your teachers, and showing kindness to others? As Christians, we can copy Him because He has freed us from sin and given us the Holy Spirit, who works in our hearts and helps us show others His love. Be an example of Jesus to others in everything you say and do.
Thank you for reading this Keys for Kids devotional! Did you enjoy the story? Has Keys for Kids been an encouragement to you and your family? If so, would you please consider supporting Keys For Kids Ministries in our effort to continue to provide these daily devotionals to children around the world?