What does God say?
Teach the wise and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more.—Proverbs 9:9
Spider monkeys live in the rain forests of Central and South America. They are some of the most acrobatic monkeys in the world. With their long arms and legs and their gripping tails, they can swing through the trees with speed and jump from branch to branch without falling.
But when spider monkeys are young, they are not very graceful at all. They have to learn how to swing through the trees. Sometimes their mothers help them; but at other times, the young monkeys practice swinging from branch to branch by themselves. Sometimes they slip and fall. Then they must climb back up and try again. It takes lots of practice before they can travel through the trees as well as their parents.
Have you ever tried to do something that your older brother or sister or your parents can do? At first did it seem hard?
When we are learning to do new things, we all make mistakes. Just like the spider monkey, we have to try over and over again until we get it right. Practice is a good way to get better at doing things. When you practice riding a bike, singing a song, spelling a word, or reading a book, you get better each time. Don’t be afraid to practice—it’s the only way to improve!
What do you say?
• How many spider monkeys do you see in the picture?
• Why do the spider monkeys have to practice?
• What is something you have to practice?
• Why do you think God wants us to keep learning new things?
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