Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Welcome, everyone! Today is the second lesson of our Superbook story, “Ruth.” God provided all that Ruth and Naomi needed—and He provides all that we need, too! Let’s praise God today as we sing and do the motions for this song.

Play Video 11: (Song) Everything Good  (3.5 minutes)

Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along and do the motions with the children. They may clap and do freestyle movements during the animation sections.

Everything Good

SuperTruth and Discussion (1 minute)

Our SuperTruth today says: “God is my provider.” Let’s say that together: “God is my provider!”

What does provide mean?

Provide means to supply what is needed. We will talk more about that in Small Group.

Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)

If all children watched the Bible story video in the previous lesson, you may skip it here and go straight to the Bible Background Video.

If you were here last time, why did Chris’ great aunt want him to come to her house? She needed Chris to do some chores at her house—painting and yardwork.

Why was Chris upset about this? Chris had planned to go to the lake with Joy and her family.

For the children who haven’t seen our Bible story yet, we are going to watch a short version of “Ruth.” If you have already seen the full video, watch closely for ways that Boaz provided for Ruth. You will have an opportunity to share your answer in Small Group.

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (9.5 minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet Ruth, a young widow from Moab. The children see how she gives up everything to care for her mother-in-law, Naomi—and how God provides for both of them through the kindness of Boaz.

Condensed Bible Story

Discussion (1 minute)

Why didn’t Naomi’s closest relative want to redeem her property and marry Ruth? He already had a family of his own.

Ruth wasn’t born Jewish, yet she became the great-grandmother of one of the most famous Jewish kings in history. Who was that king? King David.

Introduce Bible Background Video (1 minute)

Now let’s watch our Bible Background Video and learn more about the time and place that Ruth, Naomi and Boaz lived. When Gizmo asks a question in the video, wait for him to suggest some answers, then call out the one you think is right! 

Play Video 5: Bible Background (8 minutes) 

Bible Background

Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic 2

Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat verse.

SuperVerse Graphic 2

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Let’s say our SuperVerse together. Psalm 34:9:

 Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.

Our SuperVerse says to fear God. That means we should love, honor, and respect Him. Now that we know what fearing God means—let’s shout the SuperVerse!

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times, while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Let’s pray: Dear God, You provided all that Ruth and Naomi needed. Help us to trust that You will supply all of our needs, as well. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.    

Let’s go to our Small Groups where you will play a game about our Provider—God! Are you ready to receive all that God provides?    

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

What did Ruth collect in Boaz’ field? Grain.  

What were some other ways that Boaz provided for Ruth? Protection, food, water, marriage.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God is my provider.”

Yes, God supplies all we need. In this game, you will not collect grain; however, you will collect other things that God provides to us.

Divide the class into two teams, which form separate lines in the corner of the room with no box.

The leader picks a Provision Card, holds it up and announces the word on the card, then places it face-up on the floor.

The first player of each team walks quickly to any of the three boxes to search for that Provision Card.

If the card is not in that box, the player must quickly move to another box until the card is found.

Each player takes the correct card to the leader, who places it on the matching card already on the floor.

The first player to bring the matching card to the leader wins a point for the team.

Tally points on the board.

Play continues as the leader picks another Provision Card for the next player on each team to find.

The game continues until all twelve cards are collected. The team with the most points wins.

Afterward, hold up each card and briefly discuss various things God provides for us.  

Conclusion: That looked like fun. Did you find all of the cards in one place? No!

No, you found God’s provision in different places. God provides for us in different ways and in different places. Remember that as we learn more about how God provides all we need!  

Card sets can be used again in the Additional Activity Game, “Provision Match.”

Teaching

Let’s learn more about how God provides for His people. Naomi and her family traveled to the country of Moab because there was a famine in their town of Bethlehem, in Judah. What is a famine? People are hungry and starving because there is no food.

Years later, after her husband and sons died, Naomi heard that the famine was over, so she decided to return to Bethlehem.  

This meant that Ruth had to make an important choice at a difficult time. She had lost her husband and was about to be separated from her mother-in-law, Naomi. Instead of returning to her home and the false gods of her country, Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and to follow the one true God. By this wise choice, Ruth received God’s promise of provision.

God became her provider—just like our SuperVerse says in Psalm 34:9:  

Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.

I have great news for you; this verse applies to us today! It is a promise to all who fear God. He will provide all we need! Remember, to fear God means to love, honor and respect Him.

Let’s say our SuperTruth: “God is my provider.”

Here is what Boaz told Ruth. Read Ruth 2:12:

 “May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”

Boaz knew that Ruth had chosen to leave her family, home, and false gods to serve Naomi and the one true God. He spoke a prayer of blessing over Ruth’s life, asking God to reward her for her act of unselfish love and sacrifice. Boaz described Ruth’s choice as taking refuge under God’s wings. The word refuge means to take cover in a safe place of shelter.

Do you think God actually has wings?

The Bible tells us that God is spirit. See John 4:12. He does not need wings to travel—He is everywhere at all times. In the Bible, “God’s wings” means His loving care.

Hold up the umbrella. Let’s say this umbrella represents God’s care and provision. Open the umbrella and choose two children to come forward.

Let’s say these two children have chosen to trust and serve God. 

Hold umbrella over the children. By doing this, they place themselves under God’s provision and care.

The children return to their seats. Close the umbrella.

Listen to what Psalm 84:11 says:

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

When we honor God and do what is right according to His Word, we unlock God’s provision and blessings in our lives. God will not hold back any good thing from us—just like Ruth experienced.  

We do not need to worry about having what we need. We can trust God to do whatever is needed to provide for us.

Have the children look up and take turns reading the verses in Matthew 6:31–33:

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”

Think of that—God knows exactly what we need. He is our loving heavenly Father who looks after His children. Jesus wants us to live for God, to trust Him, and to seek His will for our lives, rather than worry about what we don’t have.

Did you know that God has many names in the Bible? One of His names is Jehovah-Jireh, which means, “The Lord Will Provide.” His very name tells us that God will give us everything we need!

Ruth feared God and showed faithfulness and kindness to Naomi. God rewarded her for doing what was right. He provided all she needed and much more!

Let’s shout the SuperTruth together: “God is my provider!”

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Hold up the sample of Gizmo’s Snow Cone Machine. Let’s discuss the Discipleship Challenge from Lesson 1. What was our first snow cone challenge? To be faithful and kind; to look up and learn Proverbs 3:3.

Did anyone remember to ask God to help you to be faithful and kind?

What happened when you did?

Can anyone say Proverbs 3:3 from memory?

Even if you know only part of the verse, share what you know and we will build on it! 

Proverbs 3:3:

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.

Our second snow cone challenge is to bless someone by providing or supplying something that they need. Be sure to ask your parents’ permission before you give anything away. The other part of our challenge is to learn Hebrews 13:16 at home.

If time permits, look up and read Hebrews 13:16:

And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

We learned today that one way God provides is through other people—like us! God blessed Boaz, and he shared his blessings with others, including his workers, the gleaners, Ruth, and Naomi. God provides all we need and more, so we can share our blessings with others who are in need!

So our second snow cone challenge is to learn Hebrews 13:16, then ask God to show you how you can bless someone else before we meet again. As you pray, thank God for being your provider and giving you all you need!

When we meet again, I will ask if anyone would like to share their challenge experience.

SuperVerse

Our SuperVerse is Psalm 34:9:

Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.

What does it mean to fear God? To love, honor, and respect God.

To fear God also means to be in awe of Him. Awe means to be filled with wonder; to be amazed by who God is and what He does! He is a mighty and awesome God!

Let’s read what the Bible tells us about God in 1 John 3:1a:

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!

Think of that! Almighty God, who created the entire universe, loves us and calls us His children. God wants us to come boldly to Him for all of our needs!

Assign one word of the SuperVerse to each player. If there are fewer than seventeen children in the class, assign an additional word to older children as needed. Have the children form a line, side by side, facing the board with the SuperVerse written on it.

1. Say the verse together as a group.

2. Point to each word on the board in order, with the children shouting their assigned words in turn. Go faster each time.

3. Don’t point to the words. Children shout their words without being prompted.

4. Erase the board and see if the children can shout the verse from memory.

Prayer

God provided grain for Ruth and Naomi from Boaz’s crops. God even blessed Naomi with a grandson through Ruth and Boaz!

Our SuperTruth says: “God is my provider.” Today we are going to thank God for providing His Son, Jesus, to take care of our need for forgiveness. By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive the gift of eternal life; and God can bless our lives!

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in Philippians 4:19:

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

God supplies everything we need through Christ. 

Have children bow their heads and close their eyes. Ask them to think about all the blessings in their lives that God has provided through Christ. You may ask them to say their blessings out loud. Have children pray about any special needs they may have. This would be a good opportunity to ask if anyone would like to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Make sure to follow up with any children who prayed to accept Jesus as their Savior. Encourage them to download Gizmo’s Bible Adventures, a free 30-day devotional for children and their families. Visit Superbook.CBN.com/Pages/Discover/KidsDevo/Gizmos-Bible-Adventures

Close in prayer: Dear God, we praise You for loving us and calling us Your children! Thank You for taking care of us and supplying all our needs from Your glorious riches in Jesus Christ. In His name we pray, Amen.

Object Lesson

The Bible is filled with stories about how God provides for His people through miracles. God also provides what we need by giving us talents, skills and abilities to work and earn an income.   

Another way God provides for our needs is through others. In the story of Ruth, God provided for Ruth and Naomi through Boaz’s kindness and generosity. God blesses us not just so we have what we need, but so we can be a blessing to others!

Grades 4–6: Have the children look up and take turns reading the verses in 2 Corinthians 9:10–15:    

¹⁰ For God is the One who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. ¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. ¹³ As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. ¹⁴ And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. ¹⁵ Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

God does not bless us so we can be selfish. He provides generously so that we also may be generous to others. Paul thanked the church for their generous giving and said that when people received their gifts, they praised God and gave Him glory! They also saw how the followers of Jesus were obedient to love and serve others as Christ did.

Place the box next to you. Hold up the empty paper towel tube vertically over the box. Place one hand under the bottom end of the tube. Let’s say this tube represents us. The box represents someone who has a need. Now, we know our SuperVerse tells us that God provides all we need. The verse we just read also tells us that He blesses us and increases our resources, or our harvest. 

These marbles represent God’s provision and blessings. Start placing about half the marbles into the tube, where they will be trapped by your other hand.

Now, God just poured a lot of blessings into us. Do you think He is pleased? Why or why not?

Is God generous with us so that we can selfishly keep all His blessings to ourselves?

This isn’t why He gives us more than we need! What can I do to please God? Remove your hand from the top.

Right! Remove your hand from the bottom of the tube so the marbles will fall into the box. Place the remaining marbles into the tube and let them flow freely through the tube into the box.   

God blesses us so we can bless others. God provides for people’s needs in many ways. One way He works is to provide through our generosity! The more we give, the more we make room for other blessings in our lives. We show that we are faithful and can be trusted to share what He provides. 

Matching Game

It’s time to play a fun matching card game!  

Divide the class into groups of three children. Have each group sit on the floor or at a table together. Give each group a bag of Provision Cards. Each group mixes up their cards and spreads them face-down in four rows of six cards.

Each child will turn over two cards, one card at a time, to try and match like cards. If the cards don’t match, they are turned over again in the same spot. If the cards match, the player keeps them.

Play until all cards are matched. The player with the most matches wins.

Play again if time permits.  

Conclusion: God is our provider. He is the giver of everything good! Let’s say our SuperVerse together. Psalm 34:9:

Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.

Coloring Activity

Place crayons, colored pencils, or markers at each table. Give a coloring page to each child. Read Ruth 3:1–2a:

One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women.”

If you watched the video in Lesson 1, do you remember seeing Joy and Gizmo carrying baskets of grain back to Naomi’s house? When Ruth and Naomi lived together in Bethlehem, God provided grain for them by Ruth working in Boaz’s fields. Naomi knew the time had come for Ruth to find a husband and have a family and home of her own. God would then provide for Ruth long after Naomi was gone.

As children work, lead them in a discussion.  

• Do you think it was God’s plan for Naomi and Ruth to move back to Bethlehem? Why or why not?   
• The Bible tells us that God knows what we need. Why do you think He still wants us to pray and ask Him?  
• Can you share a time that God answered your prayer and provided something you needed?  
• Can you share a time that God blessed you and provided something that you didn’t even ask for?

Conclusion: God is our provider and we can trust Him to give us all that we need. 

Activity

Have children look up the Scriptures, read them aloud, and determine what God provides in that passage. There may be more than one provision in some cases. As the provisions are identified, make a list of them on the board. Allow children to share how they may have experienced God’s provisions in their lives.

1. James 5:14–15 (nkjv): healing, forgiveness

¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

2. Acts 17:24–25: creation, all things, breath, life, all needs

²⁴ “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, ²⁵ and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.”

3. Psalm 103:3: healing, forgiveness

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

4. James 1:5: wisdom, answered prayer

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

5. John 14:27: peace, freedom from fear

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

6. James 1:17: good and perfect gifts, consistency, stability, light

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

7.  Romans 10:9 (esv): salvation, eternal life

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

8. 1 Corinthians 10:13: strength, endurance, help with temptation, faithfulness

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Ask if anyone needs to experience God’s provision in a particular way right now.   

Conclusion: God is our provider—He gives us the very breath that we breathe! He gives us all we need to live life abundantly. God knows all of our needs, yet He wants us to come to Him, as our heavenly Father, and ask Him for what we need. So let’s pray together.  

Dear God, we thank You for being our provider. We trust You to answer our prayers as we take a minute to ask for the things we need. Allow a few moments for children to silently pray for any needs they may have. Help us to live according to Your Word and to love, honor and respect You in all of our thoughts and ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.