Family Connection – Cain & Abel

In the car...

Today’s lesson – Cain & Abel

Discuss reactions when you’re in a hurry and have to stop at a red light or when somebody cuts you off. We usually get frustrated, and sometimes we react in ways we shouldn’t. Talk to your family about how to react in a proper manner. Talk about how other drivers or passengers might feel that day. Maybe they look nervous, in a hurry, or happy (as they sing along with a song on the radio).

After talking about emotions, discuss how feelings are important in our life and that how we react is also important. God gave us feelings and we should talk with our parents and God about how we are feeling. This will help us react in a proper manner.

At home...

Read Genesis 4:1-16

Cain and Abel gave to God. Cain gave some of his best but not all. Abel gave his best to God and God found favor in his best. Discuss how we give God our best and what things we give to Him (e.g. school work, cleaning our room, playing with friends).

Talk about how it makes you feel when you give your best and somebody recognizes you for your hard work. Discuss how you feel when you give just some and somebody doesn’t say anything — how that might hurt your feelings. We need to talk to God and our parents about both feelings!

Around the table...

As you sit down to eat, discuss how Cain and Abel were brothers and how they both did the same type of work, farming. Cain worked the land and Abel the livestock. Think about the food on the table. Do we want to eat old food? No! We eat good food prepared at home with effort by the cook. When we sit down, we thank that person for cooking the meal. And when we taste it, it tastes good and like it was made with love.

Discuss if everything were the opposite: stinky food made with anger and little effort by the cook. What would our reactions be? God feels the same in both occasions but reacts with love for both!

GO DEEPER: Talk about reactions. Ask the family to share a time they reacted poorly and how the other person reacted. How should they have reacted in that situation?