David Is Kind to Saul

1 Samuel 24:1–22


Our story comes from the Bible. It is found in the part of the Bible called 1 Samuel ("First Samuel"). It is the first of two books in the Bible named after Samuel.

King Saul was looking for David.

Saul wanted to hurt David, so David had to hide.

One day, David and his men were hiding in a cave.

Then something surprising happened—Saul came into the cave!

Saul did not know David was there.

David’s men whispered, “This is your chance! You can hurt Saul!”

But David did not want to hurt Saul.

Instead, David quietly cut a small piece of Saul’s robe.

Even that made David feel bad.

David said, “I will not hurt Saul.”

Later, David called out to Saul and showed him the piece of the robe.

David said, “I could have hurt you, but I chose not to.”

Saul saw that David had been kind.

David trusted God and chose to do what was right.

Jesus helps us see this clearly.

Jesus teaches us to be kind and to love others—even when it is hard.

Key Takeaway for Preschoolers

We can choose to be kind, even when it is hard.


Dear God,

Thank You for teaching us to be kind. Help us to make good choices and not hurt others. Help us to love others like Jesus does. We love you, God.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.





Bible Verse: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.” — John 13:34, BSB

Paraphrase: Jesus says, “Love each other the way I love you.”



Activities

These activities help preschoolers engage with the story through movement, crafts, music, and storytelling, making the lesson fun and memorable.


1. Kind or Not Kind? Game

Objective: To help children recognize kind choices.

Materials: None 

Activity: Say different scenarios (e.g., “Sharing a toy,” “Pushing someone,” “Helping a friend”). Children respond with “Kind!” or “Not kind!”

Talk About It: “What does it mean to be kind?”


2. Gentle Hands Practice

Objective: To practice kindness through actions.

Materials: None

Activity: Teach children to use “gentle hands” by pretending to help, comfort, or care for others (like patting a shoulder or handing something kindly).

Talk About It: “How can we use our hands to be kind?”
 

3. “Be Kind and Loving” Song (Musical Activity)

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Public Domain)

Objective: To reinforce kindness and love.

Materials: None

Activity: Teach the children the song and encourage gentle hand motions.

Song Lyrics:

        Be kind, be kind, every day,
        Choose to love in every way,
        When it’s hard and when it’s tough,
        God will help you—He’s enough.
        Be kind, be kind, every day,
        Choose to love in every way.

Talk About It: “When is it hard to be kind? Who helps us be kind?”


4. Tear and Tape Activity (Restoring the Robe)

Objective: To illustrate choosing not to harm and making things right.

Materials: Paper, Tape

Activity: Give each child a piece of paper to gently tear (representing the robe). Then help them tape it back together, showing how we can try to make things right.

Talk About It: “David didn’t want to hurt Saul. What can we do when we make a mistake?”

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Story illustrations are the copyright of James M. Thomas. All rights reserved.
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