Hurting People

Kids Bible Devotional for September 17, 2026

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Focus Verse

Proverbs 9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. (NKJV)

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“Be very careful! Approach at your own risk.”

One of the first rules of hunting safety my dad taught me was to approach the animal cautiously. If it has been injured, it can attack.

People are like this, too. You may have heard it said that hurting people, hurt people. While your intentions may be good by offering help, some wounds cut deep for certain people. As Christians, we certainly want to encourage and uplift people who are going through hard times. At the same time, we must use wisdom in our approach.

Even worse are those times we have to have difficult conversations with people who are easily hurt. We definitely need the Lord’s help in guiding our words and actions that protect ourselves and the other party, and yet still speak truth in love. Emma finds this out in today’s story, “Hurting People.”  

Today's Devotion

While having lunch at an open-air café near the park with her mother, Emma became startled when her mother jumped up from her seat midway through their lunch.

“Wait here, sweetie.” She pointed to a table under a large palm tree where a woman dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses sat sipping from a coffee mug. “I need to go talk to someone. I won’t be long.”

As her mother approached the table, the woman took off her sunglasses. It was then that Emma recognized her. She had once attended their church but hadn’t come in a long time. Emma was too far away to hear their conversation, but she could tell from the way the lady kept pointing her finger in her mother’s face that she was upset about something.

When her mother returned to the table, she was flushed, her lips taut. “Why was that lady so mad, Mama?” Emma casually took a bite from a French fry, trying not to make the question sound nosy.

“I told her I had been missing her at church and praying for her. She lost her son in a bad accident not long ago, and she has been angry with God ever since.”

“Well, that was nice of you to let her know you’re thinking of her,” Emma said.

“That was my intention, but she thought I was judging her for missing church. She’s hurting and putting up her defenses.”

“Hurting? Defenses? What do you mean?” Emma asked.

“Do you remember when we were going to Grandma’s house a couple of years back and your dad hit that deer?”

“Boy, do I? That was scary. We waited forever for the tow truck.”

“Yes, but do you remember what he told you before he got out of the car to check on the animal?”

Emma tapped her chin. “I think he said to stay in the car because he didn’t want us to get hurt.”

“Do you know why?” her mother asked.

Emma shook her head. “Not really.”

“It’s because wild animals do not know when you’re trying to help them. When they are hurt, they may see you as a threat and attack you, thinking they are protecting themselves.”

“I see,” Emma said. “That’s how that lady felt?”

“Yes. I hoped to help, but she took me as a threat.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“Well, there is something I can do for her,” Mom said. “I can pray that God softens her heart.”

“Daddy was praying really hard when he hit that deer, too.” Emma said. “He prayed, ‘Oh, please Lord, don’t let this cost me a fortune to get this car fixed.’”

Her mother let out a hearty laugh. “He did, at that. As I recall, he got a new truck out of the deal. I guess, in a way, his prayer was answered.”

Wrap Up

It is not always easy to deal with difficult people. Notice how Jesus handled these situations. He grounded Himself in Scripture and used wisdom in His responses, just like He did when challenged by the religious leaders of His day. He never let Himself get cornered.

Jesus shows us that even in hard conversations, we can show love and understanding. And, while we cannot control how others react, we can maintain our composure and still stand in a place of grace.