eKidz Devotional: All About ChoicesSample

Family Drama 

All families look different, and they all have drama. It might be annoying brothers and sisters, unfair rules, or disagreements with other family members. We don’t get to choose our family, but we can choose how to act and respond to them.

You can be the peacemaker or the troublemaker. You can compromise or complain. You can be forgiving or hold grudges. The choice is yours, but what you choose can lead to happiness and freedom or frustration and heartache.

Let’s look at the story of The Prodigal Son from a different perspective — from the view of the older brother.

When the younger brother returns after spending all of his inheritance (money) on foolish things, his father calls for a feast to celebrate the return of his lost son. 

The older brother becomes angry and chooses not to go. While the younger brother was throwing all of his money away, the older brother stayed, worked, and obeyed his father. He couldn’t understand why his father had never thrown him a party. He was jealous! 

In the end, the father explained that everything he owned belonged to his older son. But his younger son had been lost, and now he was found. It was worth celebrating. 

The older brother should have responded with love, forgiveness, and mercy — not jealousy. He should have been excited to see his lost brother again.

Ask yourself: What kinds of issues cause drama in your family? How can you show love even when you don’t agree with what’s happening? 

Challenge yourself: Choose to lead with love. When you experience family drama, you can lead with love and listen. You can serve, compromise, and recognize where you may be at fault. 

Pray: God, thank You for loving me no matter what. Please help me to listen and show respect and grace to my family. In Jesus’ name, amen.

During this episode of “Super Nova Standoff,” Hollywood teaches us how to handle family drama.