Shavuot Kids Crafts

Here are kids crafts and activities for the Biblical holiday of Shavuot or Pentecost. As a believer in Messiah, Shavuot is a time to remember and celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. Crafts related to the Holy Spirit or fruit of the Spirit are appropriate for Shavuot, as well as things like the ten commandments, story of Ruth, loaves of bread, or even the number 50! Making crafts like these can be fun and memorable ways for kids to learn about what the Bible says and celebrate this Biblical holiday!

Please note that I am recommending the craft, and not necessarily every detail of the lesson that goes with it. The crafts are great starting points, and I'm sure we can come up with appropriate Biblical lessons to go with them if needed. If you're not sure what that lesson could be - please reach out!

Shavuot kids crafts:

Fire Headbands for Pentecost from Crafting the Word of God

Fruit of the Spirit Necklace from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Ruth Barley Harvest Bookmark from Jesus Without Language 

White Dove from Crafting the Word of God

Parable of the Banquet Guests from Jesus Without Language

Pentecost Coloring Page from Crafting the Word of God

Ten Commandments Gummies from Land of Honey

Acts 2 Fire Sun Catchers from Crafting the Word of God

Bread of Life Pinwheel from Jesus Without Language

Acts 2 Flame Spinners from Jesus Without Language

Ten Commandments craft from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Ruth Harvest Basket from Jesus Without Language

If you're struggling to come up with a lesson regarding a certain craft, please comment below and we can all share ideas to encourage each other!

More Shavuot fun:
DIY Shavuot Basket
Celebrating the Fruit of the Spirit at Shavuot
Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game

Overlooked Truths in Proverbs 31

We need a better understanding of Proverbs 31. This passage of Scripture has been twisted, abused, and taken out of context for many years, and too many women have been left feeling inadequate because they don't do every single thing listed. I'd like to say clearly that the Holy Spirit did not inspire this part of the Bible to leave women feeling discouraged! 

The true meaning of the passage of Proverbs 31 is beautiful, but too often it has been used to reprimand women for not "doing it all," or not doing more, or to try and tell women that their only role in society should be inside the home. Most of us read it as a checklist of things we need to or 'should' do. Select wool and flax. Hire servants. Buy a field. Plant a vineyard. Sew clothes. Make a quilt. Gather food. Cook. Stay up late. Get up early. Help the poor. Have energy. Show strength. Make items to sell in the marketplace. It seems like a bit much.

But...it's a poem. It was never meant as an itinerary for all women, everywhere, throughout history. I believe that the many different activities are listed to demonstrate that being a woman of valor can look like a lot of different things! And it shows that all of these jobs, many of which are not glamorous, or are not praised in our culture, have significance. The range of activities in this poem celebrate the various professions, skills, hobbies, and value of women from all walks of life.

We should also note that Proverbs 31 isn't even directed at women. Verse 1 says that the Queen (likely Bathsheba, as "King Lemuel," is thought be Solomon, since the word lemuel means "for God") taught this saying to her son. She wasn't saying it to her daughters to tell them that a woman of valor had to do all these things. This wasn't a checklist. She was saying this to her son. I believe she did this to teach him to recognize that valor and value can come in many different forms. 

This poem calls attention to tasks that need done, but aren't necessarily noticed by those who don't do them. How many times have you gotten up early or stayed up late to attend to the work at hand and felt like no one noticed your effort? Have you worked to be generous to the poor, contribute to ministries, or provide for your family only to have your efforts feel taken for granted or downplayed? 

Proverbs 31 is not just about commercial undertakings, parenting, and homemaking either. It's not about resume building or interesting quips to put in a biography. It highlights specific character traits. Being able to laugh, acting with dignity, speaking with wisdom, generosity, and fearing YHWH are all celebrated in this passage of Scripture. The Queen was pointing out that these traits should be valued and respected!

This Bible passage is a reminder to all of us, but men in particular, not to take for granted the significant work done by women of valor. This is why the last verse says, "Honor her for all that she has done." Proverbs 31 calls us to recognize the character and resilience of the women in our lives. 

Related posts:
The Truth About 1 Corinthians 14
Who Was Phoebe in the Bible?
Five Books That Changed My Understanding of Scripture
A Hebraic Perspective on a Woman of Valor

What the Messiah Said about Biblical Law

What Jesus had to say about Biblical law is an important topic for all believers to know about! What did the Living Word say about the Written Word? Did he speak against it? Did he find it impossibly antiquated and oppressive? Did Jesus fulfill the law, or do away with it? The answers to these questions will prove to be surprising to some, but first we need to see which law the Messiah is talking about in these verses.

What law does Jesus refer to?

The Messiah often spoke of the commandments of God that were given in the Old Testament. These are also referred to as Biblical law, Mosaic law, the law of Moses, book of the covenant, or Torah. The ten commandments are part of Biblical law, but not all of it. This is the law he is referencing in the Scriptures this post will cover.

When he clashed with religious leaders, it was over what Jesus called, "your law." These would be manmade laws and traditions that the Pharisees and Scribes of the time held to be more important than Biblical law. We will not be looking at these passages in this post.

This post covers what the Messiah said about Biblical law, the commandments of his father.

How do we know that Jesus's law is the same as God's?

Because he tells us this! Verses like: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38), I and the Father are one (John 10:30), Whatever the Father does, the son does likewise (John 5:19), all speak to the Messiah and the Living God being on the exact same page. We also have Jesus's point-blank statement of, "I did not come to destroy the law."

In light of statements like this, it would make no sense for Jesus to create his own version of Biblical law. He never said he was creating his own law or doing away with the commandments. When he referred to his laws, they always fit with commandments and directions already given in the Old Testament.

Here's what Jesus said about Biblical law:

"If you will enter into life, keep the Torah commandments." -Matthew 19:17

"Blessed are those who hear the word of YHWH and put it into practice." -Luke 11:28

"The weightier matters of law need to be done, without neglecting the smaller matters." -Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42

"Whoever breaks the least of these commands shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." - Matthew 5:19

"Whatever Moses says, guard and do." -Matthew 23:3

"Do not think that I came to destroy the law or Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete." -Matthew 5:17

"It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the Torah to fall." -Luke 16:31

"If you do these words of mine, you are wise..." -Mathew 7:24

"If you love me you shall guard my commands." -John 14:14

More about Jesus and Biblical law:
Did the Messiah Fulfill the Law? Understanding Matthew 5:17
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture
Did the Messiah Break the Law?

Romans 14 Explained (Key to Understanding New Testament Verses on Food)

Much of Christianity believes that in the New Testament the commandments about what we should not eat are done away with through the work of the Messiah. This idea stems from misunderstanding New Testament Bible passages. If we take a closer look, we will see that Scripture never changes the Living God's instructions about what we eat! It's time to see that point of the Messiah's death was to provide redemption for people, not to add pig flesh to our diets.

Here on the blog, we've already tackled misunderstood passages of the New Testament like, Jesus made all foods clean, Peter's hearing the voice say to eat unclean animals, and eating whatever is set before you. Links are below if you'd like to check out those topics later, but for now we are going to focus on Romans 14.

This passage of Scripture comes up in nearly every discussion about believers and what we eat. It gets thrown out as a catch all, "But Romans 14 says no food is wrong to eat and it's up to our conscience to decide!" Let's take a few minutes to learn to understand that passage of Scripture that has been misunderstood and abused.

Explaining Romans 14:

"One person believes it is right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them." -Romans 14:2-3

"See? Paul is saying that it's right to eat anything and we shouldn't judge what someone else eats because God accepts it, right? So we can eat any animals now, even what were considered abominable in the Old Testament." This logic is used by many believers, and it's extremely flawed. Nowhere in Romans (or anywhere else in the Bible) does it talk about a debate of whether or not it's okay to eat the animals that Leviticus 11 says not to. The subject in question is that while some people choose a vegetarian diet, others eat permissible meats. How do we know they're talking about clean animals? Because the Bible defines food as what YHWH says we can eat. Since Leviticus 11:41 says that things like pigs, dogs, most insects, lions, camels, etc. are not food, we know that "those who don't eat certain foods," weren't eating animals the Bible considers food - such as beef and lamb. This whole debate is about if you have to be a vegetarian, or if it's okay to eat the animals that the Old Testament says you can. 

Romans 14 is not talking about anyone eating what the Bible says is not permissible!

"I know and am convinced on the authority of the Messiah that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat." -Romans 14:14a

Again, the subject here is food, as defined by the Bible. Paul is saying that if the Bible says something is food, then it can be eaten. This fits with other parts of Scripture, like the Messiah saying that the bread his disciples were eating was not unclean, even though they hadn't kept a manmade tradition of ritual hand washing in Mark 7, and 1 Timothy 4 that says that false teachers will promote a demonic idea that not all foods - again things the Bible says we can eat - should be eaten.

Paul is not saying that it's okay to go directly against what the Bible says and eat abominable creatures. 

"If another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom the Messiah died." -Romans 14:15

It is somewhat mystifying that the same people who throw Romans 14 up as a license to consume literally anything they want...from abominable animals to psychedelic drugs...conveniently skip over this verse. Here's a Bible passage reminding us that our choices about what we eat have very real effects on others, and that we should do our very best to act in love and consideration! 

I hope this explanation sheds light on what Paul meant by these words in Romans. When we understand that New Testament authors used the Bible's definition of what food is, then Scripture doesn't contradict itself! 

More about eating:
Did Jesus Declare All Foods Clean?
Understanding Peter's Vision
Should We Eat Whatever is Set Before Us?
Romans 14:5 - About Fasting or the Sabbath?