Psalm 133:1 says, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" Unity means being together in peace. It means nobody sits alone.
God loves it when His people are kind to each other. When we are friendly, it is good. It is pleasant. It feels like a warm room full of friends.
Being together starts with small things. A hello. A smile. A question like, "Do you want to play?"
You do not have to feel brave to say hello. You just have to say it. Maybe your voice feels shaky. That is okay. Say it anyway.
Maybe the other person is shy too. Maybe they are waiting for someone to notice them.
God made everyone. He made you. He made the new kid too. When you say hello, you are doing something God says is good and pleasant.
Today, look for someone who is alone. Walk over. Say hello. Ask, "Do you want to play?" You might make a new friend.
👫Making Friends
A Hello That Starts a Friendship
Being together starts with one small, kind word.
October 18, 20263 min readNIV
How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!
— Psalm 133:1 (NIV)
Unity is good
Today's Story
✍️Fictitious Story
At recess, Bethany stood by the school gate and untied her hair ribbon. She retied it. Then she untied it again. That is what she does when her stomach feels jumpy.
A new girl sat alone on the low wall near the basketball court. She held her bag on her lap. Nobody talked to her.
Bethany wanted to ask her to play. Her feet felt heavy.
She remembered the day the boy took her pencil case, and how she told her teacher even though her voice shook. That had been hard too.
Bethany walked over. "Hi," she said. "My name is Bethany. Do you want to play?"
The new girl looked up. Her name was Aisha. She smiled and stood up.
They played until the bell rang.
Reflection
Think About It
• Have you ever felt shy when you wanted to play with someone new? • What kind word could you say today to help someone feel less alone?
Prayer
God, sometimes I feel shy and my feet feel heavy. Sometimes I am scared to say hello. Yet I will trust You. You made everyone, and You love them. Give me courage to speak kindly today. Help me bring people together, the way You say is good and pleasant. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Live It Out
Say hello to someone new today and ask, "Do you want to play?"