THIRD SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

THEME FOR THE MONTH:
DO UNTO OTHERS – TEACHING LOVE AND COMPASSION
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31

LESSON 3: GOD’S STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

Key Verse: Galatians 6:10 – “Do good to all people…”

Story Source: To Tease a Bummble (Hartlie teaches the sheep the Golden Rule and the truth.)

Supporting Bible Character: Jacob (Genesis 32:22–31) – walked with a limp but was still a warrior for God

Memory Verse: Luke 6:31 – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

OPENING PRAYER

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for today. Open our eyes to see everyone as You see them—special, loved, and wonderfully made. Help us choose kindness, even when others seem different. Amen.” 

LESSON OBJECTIVES

By the end of today, you will:

1. See how God can use anyone—even those who seem clumsy or weak.
2. Learn from Rumbly and Jacob that being different doesn’t mean being less.
3. Choose to treat everyone with love, respect, and a helping hand.

STORY EXPOSITION 

It was a hot, dry summer in the Bog. A sticky breeze drifted through the air, and no rain had fallen for weeks. Everything felt crunchy underfoot, dusty and thirsty. This was the world Rumbly Bummble walked through every day on his way to school with his mom.

Bummbles have their own special way of walking—they teeter and totter, they weeble and wobble. Sometimes they bump into things, but they don’t get upset. Instead, they laugh and pretend they’re just “bumper car-ing!” They choose joy, even when walking is hard.

But not everyone saw it that way. Three sheep named Pinky, Pete, and Punky watched Rumbly and decided to make fun of him. They didn’t see a joyful heart or a brave walk—they only saw someone different. They sang a mean little song, and their laughter wasn’t the kind that makes you smile. It was the kind that stings.

Rumbly’s heart sank. He sat right down on the school steps, tears rolling down his cheeks. In a wobbly voice, he asked his mom, “Wh…why are they being so mean to me?”

His mom didn’t tell him to be tough. She didn’t ignore his tears. She listened, really listened. Then she said softly, “I don’t know, dear. But I know who can help. Let’s ask Hartlie, our dear Christian brother.”

Hartlie came right away. He knelt beside Rumbly, looking into his sad eyes. “You know,” Hartlie said gently, “it’s fine to laugh with someone. But it’s never okay to laugh at someone. When we laugh at others, we’re not being funny—we’re being unkind.” Then Hartlie did something beautiful. He took Rumbly’s hand and prayed, “Dear Heavenly Father, please give me the words to reach those sheep. Soften their hearts with Your love so they won’t make Rumbly weep anymore.”

Hartlie went to find Pinky, Pete, and Punky. He looked at them seriously and said, “Listen carefully. Sticks and stones may break bones, but words… words can do something even deeper. They can heal a heart—or break it in two.” But the sheep just snorted. They rolled their eyes and laughed again. They didn’t listen. They didn’t think Hartlie’s words mattered at all.

The Sheep Learn A Winter Lesson

The sheep kept on teasing. They didn’t change. But something else was changing—the seasons. Slowly, surely, summer faded away. The air grew chilly. Leaves fell, and frost sparkled in the mornings. Winter was coming. Now, every year, sheep give their wool to the farmer. It’s just what they do. But this year, when the cold winds blew, Pinky, Pete, and Punky stood in the pasture with no wool at all. They were naked, shivering, and turning blue. Their teeth chattered so hard they couldn’t even say “baaa.”

They jumped up and down, trying to get warm. And as they shook and shivered, something surprising happened—they began to wobble and stumble. They looked unsteady, just like Rumbly often did. But this time, it wasn’t because of how they were made. It was because they were cold, alone, and unprotected.

Hartlie and Rumbly watched quietly from a distance. Hartlie whispered, “See that? Sometimes God lets us feel what we’ve made others feel. They forgot about giving their wool away, and now they’re freezing.”

The three sheep stumbled back to their flock, humbled and silent. No more teasing. No more laughing at others. They had finally learned the lesson: How you treat others will always, always come back to you.

BIBLE CONNECTION

Ever feel like you don’t fit in? Ever feel different? Jacob knew that feeling. He wrestled with an angel—and God touched his hip. After that, Jacob walked with a limp.” (Genesis 32:25–31.) But God didn’t turn away. God said, “You are mine. You are strong in Me.” Jacob became a great leader—a father of nations!

Just like Jacob… just like Rumbly… God doesn’t see “clumsy” or “slow.” He sees special. He sees strong in Him.

HOW TO TREAT OTHERS GOD’S WAY

• LOOK with love – See the person, not the difference.
• SPEAK with kindness – No teasing. No mean songs. Use words that heal.
• HELP with joy – Hold a door. Share a smile. Say, “I’m glad you’re here.”
• PRAY with God’s heart – Ask Him to help you love others like He does.

CONCLUSION

Some wobble. Some limp. Some roll. Some sign. But in God’s family—everyone belongs. Rumbly’s walk didn’t make him weak. Jacob’s limp didn’t make him less. The sheep’s winter taught them warmth comes from kindness, not wool. God’s strength shines brightest in what the world calls “weak.”

Lessons Derived:

• God can use anyone—no matter how they walk or talk.
• Our differences make us uniquely wonderful.
• Kindness warms. Teasing chills. Choose warmth.

QUESTIONS

1. Why did Rumbly cry on the school steps?
2. What did Hartlie say about laughing at someone?
3. What happened to the sheep when winter came?
4. How did God use Jacob even with his limp?
5. What’s one way you can show kindness to someone who seems different?

PRAYER FOCUS

“Lord Jesus, thank You for loving everyone—including me. Help me to be kind, gentle, and caring. Teach me to treat others with respect, no matter how they look, walk, or talk. Amen.”

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL READING

Assignment

This week:

1. Notice someone who might feel left out or different.
2. Do one kind thing for them—a drawing, a kind word, a smile.
3. Next Sunday, share your act of kindness!