Steer Clear of Danger by Paying Attention

Now then, my sons, listen to me;
       pay attention to what I say.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways
       or stray into her paths.

Many are the victims she has brought down;
       her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is a highway to the grave,
       leading down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:24-27 (NIV)

Props: road signs, picture of road (painted with yellow and white lines)

            Most of you haven’t started driving yet, but when you’re with adult drivers you know that they have to pay careful attention to the road, the other cars, the signs and the traffic lights.  (Display stop sign).  Who can tell me what this means?  (Allow for response).  Right!  A stop sign means “stop.”  It’s important for drivers to pay attention to stop signs and all other traffic signs on the road.  A driver who is not paying attention could miss the stop sign, hurt himself and hurt others, maybe even killing them. 

Even the little things that you may not think about are still important.  (Display picture of road).  For example, the yellow lines in the middle of the road let the driver know whether or not it’s safe to pass another car.  So drivers have to pay attention, even to the details.  It could mean life or death.

It’s important to pay attention to the details in every area of your life.  The Bible says that paying attention to the Law of the Lord, the Bible and all that God teaches us, will keep us away from danger.  Paying attention to God’s Law will help to keep us safe and under His protection.  Not paying attention and disobeying God is like running a stop sign or a red light—it could mean death.  Pay close attention to what God has to say, just like you would pay attention to the signs on the road if you were driving.

Stand Up For What Is Right (Even If You Stand Alone)

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.  1 Corinthians 16:13 (RSV)

Props: projection system and slides of the following math problems OR overhead projector, blank transparency, transparency marker OR posterboard and marker

Write out the following math problems before the lesson.  Write the corresponding answers as you come to each problem during the lesson.  

            I want you to imagine with me that you are in math class one day and your teacher gives the terrible news: there will be a pop quiz.  How many of you like pop quizzes?  (Allow for response).  Well, the good news is that with this pop quiz, you will be able to work with your friends.  But each of you will be graded separately.  So, you join a group of 3 others and begin the quiz.  (Write each problem on the transparency as you call it out).  First problem: 10 + 15.  “Hmm…10+15.  That’s easy,” you think.  “25.”  But you are shocked to see that all of your friends write down 30.  What do you do?  (Allow for response).  Of course you wouldn’t change your answer.  You are sure it is 25.  Okay.  Next question:  5+20.  Just as you begin to write down 25 again, all your friends write down 520.  You try to tell them it’s 25.  You even work out the problem on paper for them.  But they look at you like you have lost your mind.  What do you do?  (Allow for response).  Hopefully, you stay with what you know is true.  Just two more questions.  The teacher writes down 12+13.  You write 25.  This time your friends start telling you that you’re going to fail the quiz.  The next question comes: 11+14.  Your write your final answer: 25.  Now your friends are upset.  You have 25 written for each answer and they don’t have it written once.  They tell you to go back to kindergarten.  Would you change any of your answers?  I hope not!  If you keep your answers, you’ll make a 100% A+.  And your friends, of course, would fail.  Knowing the truth will give you the courage to stick with what you believe.  If you really believe something, you can’t be talked out of it.  But if you’re not sure, you may go along with what everyone else is saying. 

            People will try to talk you out of believing in God for the rest of your life.  They will try to tell you that it’s not important to live by the God’s rules or by the Bible.  You have to make up your mind that you believe in the Bible and that what God says is true.  Believing—really believing—that will give you the courage to stand up for what you know to be true, no matter how many people or who may try to tell you differently.  Courage is facing trouble without running away.  Have the courage to face people who don’t believe in God without changing what you believe.

Stand for what is Right

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.  1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT)

Props: various protest signs with humorous messages (e.g., “Respect Duct Tape,” “Save the Plastic Containers!”)

Presentation: Have helpers come out wearing T-shirts/carrying signs, each with his/her own “protest” message.  (Some of them can be silly).  Have them call out their slogans as they come.  Have the final helper come out with a sign that says, “God loves you.”  The other protesters should laugh at him and comment on how ridiculous it is. 

            Most people have something that they are willing to stand and even fight for, but very few people stand for what is right.  People fight to go to war, other fight against war.  Some say it’s wrong to kill animals, others say it’s okay.  There are those who will fight against our president and others talk about how great he is.  Many people fight for many things.  But today’s lesson is all about standing up for what is right. 

            You have a choice in this life: You can stand up for what is right or you can live your life doing wrong.  Standing for what is right will often mean that you will have to stand alone.  You will have people who don’t understand you and some will make fun of you.  Just keep standing for what you know is true. 

            You will have people who don’t understand you or your love for God.  Some people may make fun of you or stop hanging around you if you do what is right.  Just keep standing for what you know is true.  You must decide that you are going to do what is right no matter what it costs you. 

            Stand for what is right, even if you stand alone.

Save the People

…he who wins souls is wise.  Proverbs 11:30

Props: 6 – 8 signs representing different interest groups (Rescue the whales, save the trees, save the courthouse, etc.); one sign that reads “Save the people.” 

Presentation:  Have a helper ready to hold each sign, and maybe even chant its slogan before you begin teaching. 

            Have you ever seen any signs like this around town or maybe on the news?  (Allow for response).  Have you ever seen people in big groups act like this?  (Allow for response).  There are people all over the country, and even people all over the world, who fight to rescue everything from trees to alligators to old buildings they don’t want to see torn down.    But there is one thing you don’t see very often:  people trying to save people.  (Hold up the “save the people” sign).  People get concerned about trying to save everything around us, but not so worried about each other.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to take care of our world and our environment, but we can’t ever forget how important people are.  See, thousands of people die every day who don’t know about God or His love.  When they die like that, they die forever.  Those who accept God’s love will die in their body, but their soul and spirit will live forever with God.  The Bible says, “he who wins souls is wise.”  Winning souls means telling people about God and introducing them to Him.  People who do that are truly wise.  They know that there’s nothing that needs to be saved more than people’s souls. 

            Think about your friends and family who don’t know God.  Be wise and tell them the truth that can save their soul!

Run from Evil

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live!  Amos 5:14 

Props: teddy bear and picture of black or grizzly bear, cigarette ad and alcohol ad 

            I’ll never forget one time when I was on vacation in the mountains.  The mountains were beautiful and there were lots of tourists who would visit.  There were many parks set up for the tourists to stop and have picnics.  But they weren’t the only ones who liked to eat there.  There were also many black bears in the area.  (Display pictures of bears).  There were many signs up that read: Danger!  Don’t feed the bears!  Beware of bears!  The park rangers had to post signs because people didn’t realize that bears can be dangerous. 

            People forget how dangerous bears can be because a bear looks cute.  And when everyone is little they have teddy bears.  (Display teddy bear).  Isn’t it cute?  It couldn’t hurt anyone!  Bears must be so loving and cuddly and fun to play with, right?  Well, teddy bears might be cute, but real bears are wild animals that are capable of badly hurting or even killing someone.

            There are many things in the world that are dangerous, things that can hurt your body, your mind, your feelings and your relationship with God.  There are things like cigarettes that could kill you.  But the people who make cigarettes try to make them look cool so people will try them and get addicted.  (Display cigarette ad).  Does this cigarette look dangerous in this picture?  Of course not—but it hurts a person’s lungs every time he or she smokes one.  God acts like the park rangers who warn tourists about bears when He says in the Bible, “…run from evil…”  (Display alcohol ad).  Don’t these people look like they’re having a great time?  They’re drinking alcohol.  And what the alcohol companies don’t say in the ad is that over 17,000 people die each year in our country from alcohol-related car accidents.  (Insert current statistic for your area).  Drinking alcohol doesn’t make life more fun, it can be very dangerous—even deadly. 

            There are many dangerous things that the devil will try to make look good.  He will try to get you to think there’s nothing dangerous about gossip, disrespect, rudeness, bad movies, drugs, and many other things.  But it’s like the prophet Amos taught the people; if you do evil, you will get caught.  So the key is to keep running in the right direction.  And running in the right direction means running toward God and away from evil.  Think about the bears and stay away!

Think About Higher Things

…Whatever is lovely…think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

 Props:  ladder

             How many of you have ever had someone tell you, “I want you to go far in life”?  Everyone starts out at a certain place in life–rich or poor, super-smart or average, athletic or not.  From that point, you can go up or down.  You can improve or get worse.  (Climb and come down the ladder as you speak, coordinating your words with your actions).  You can make more money or you can make less.  You can learn more or forget everything your teachers taught you.  You have the opportunity to improve your skills or to weaken them.  With God’s help, you can succeed if you want to.         

            Success does not begin with what you do, but with what you think.  If you want to go farther and “climb higher” in life, you have to “climb higher” in your thoughts.  All around you, people are thinking and talking trash.  Go higher than them: think about what is lovely, or pleasing.  You have to choose to speak well of others.  Speaking bad about others will knock you down.  You can think about positive things instead of negative things.  Focus on what is greater than the bad around you.  Fill your mind with better things. 

Time Tokens

Make the best use of your time. Ephesians 5:16 (NLV)

 Props: 24 tickets (or equal sized papers) that can represent one hour of each day; boxes with slots cut in the top and labeled “sleep,” “family,” “school,” “friends,” “TV/Video Games,” “God”

 Throughout the lesson, remind the kids that the tickets each represent one hour of the day.  Make parts of the lesson humorous (For example, tear a ticket into small pieces when you come to the family box, and only put in a small piece).

 Today’s lesson is all about time.  How many hours are there in each day?  (Allow for response).  Right!  24. Time is a precious gift from God.  He allows us to choose what to do with our time.  Let me show you what I mean.

(Show tickets).  These tickets each represent one hour of a day.  You all have 24 hours each day.  This is your time.  Some of that time you cannot choose how to spend.  (Place 9 tickets through the slot in the “sleep” box).  Your parents give you a bed time because you need your rest.  So let’s say you sleep for 9 hours or maybe more each night.  That leaves you with 15 hours.  Then, of course you have to go to school.  So you spend another 9 hours getting dressed in the morning, going to school, coming home and doing homework.  (Place 9 tickets through the slot in the “school” box).  Now you only have 6 hours left.  (Place 1 ticket through the slot in the box labeled “family”).  Everyone has to have family time, like eating dinner and doing chores.  And who wants to spend a bunch of time on chores?  So you rush through that as fast as you can.  (Tear a ticket into pieces and put one small piece in the box).  After 1 hour and 15 minutes for your family, you have 4 hours, 45 minutes to yourself. 

This is the fun time!  You can talk to friends on the phone, or play with them outside.  (Place 2 tickets through the slot in the “friends” box).  You can spend whatever time you have left watching TV, playing video games or doing whatever your parents let you do for fun.  (Place all but one little piece of a ticket into the “TV/Video Games” box).  And then, just before you go to bed at night, you remember, “Oh yeah, I was supposed to spend time with God.  I need to use my time for Him.”  But all you have left is 5 minutes before bedtime.  So you say, “Dear Lord, please bless me and my family.  Amen.” And you read a verse really fast in your Bible and then it’s time for bed.

So you think to yourself, “I wish I had more time.  Maybe if I had back some of that time I spent with my friends…”  (Turn “friends” box upside down and shake it, as if trying to get the tickets out).  “If I could just get back some of the time I spent watching TV, I could use it for God.”  (Turn “TV” box upside down and shake it).  Can you go back in time and get back even one minute?  Of course not!  Once you spend your time, it’s gone.  So it’s very important how you spend it. 

Use your time for God, and it will never be wasted.  Spend your time worshiping, loving and serving Him.

Magnetic Personalities

Godly people are careful about the friends they choose.  Proverbs 12:26 (NIrV)

Props: a large magnet and a few dozen staples (separated)

            Today as we learn about the importance of choosing your friends carefully, let’s take a look at why we are drawn to some people.  There are some people who have what is called a “magnetic personality.”  That means they have no trouble attracting people to be their friends.  (Wave the magnet over the staples).  See how easily this magnet pulls these staples toward it?  That’s the way some people attract friends.  It might be because they’re outgoing and funny, or very talented.  Whatever the case, people are naturally attracted to them.  You probably know some kids like that at school.

            However, just because someone has a “magnetic personality” doesn’t mean you should follow him or her, or allow yourself to be drawn to that person.  You need to make sure that person is going in the right direction before you follow him.  These staples were naturally attracted to the magnet.  They were pulled away from where they were and joined themselves to it.  Of course, they can’t think for themselves, but you can.  You might be naturally pulled toward some people as friends, but that doesn’t mean you have to be pulled away from where you are and join yourself to them. 

            (Carry the magnet toward the trash can).  What these staples didn’t know is that their days are done.  This magnet is carrying them straight to the trash can.  It can be the same with your friends.  You better be sure where people are headed before you decide to follow them.  Some friends will lead you away from God.  Some will lead you to disrespecting your parents.  Others may lead you toward using bad language.  There are people who will try to get you to watch bad shows on TV or listen to bad music.  If you are drawn to someone, make sure he or she is a good, godly person who will lead you in the right direction.  Don’t be mindless like these staples and end up ruining your life.

Little Now, More Later

[Jesus said] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” Matthew 6:19-20

Props: small matchbox car and large, remote control car

One of the hardest lessons to learn about using money is the importance of saving it.  Raise your hand if you get an allowance.  (Allow for response).  How many of you get money sometimes for a holiday, for your birthday or when you lose a tooth?  (Allow for response).  You have a choice of whether to spend or save the money you are given. 

Let’s say you are really into cars and trucks.  You lose a tooth and you wake up to find $1 under your pillow.  Now you have a choice of what to do with the money.  You can spend it immediately and buy a car like this (hold up the matchbox car) or you can save it.  Spending the money immediately definitely has its rewards.  You get to enjoy the little car right now.  If you save the money, you’ll have to wait.  Let’s say you decide to wait.  You wait until Easter, when your grandparents send you a card with $2 in it.  You still wait.  School gets out and you get $5 for having a great report card all year.  Then for your birthday you get $10 from different family and friends.  Finally, after 6 months of saving, you decide to spend your money.  You go to the store and find a car like this.  (Hold up the large, remote control car). 

Was it worth the wait and the savings?  You bet! 

Saving money isn’t always easy, but it is rewarding.  God wants us to be wise with the things He gives us.  Sometimes it’s okay to spend money right away, but other times you will need to wait and save your money for something bigger.

Let God Break You

“…Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord…”  Hosea 10:12

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
       you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
       a broken and contrite heart,
       O God, you will not despise.

 Psalm 51:16, 17

Props: peanuts with shell    

**You may want to have some students come to the front to volunteer to eat peanuts.  Choose only older children (age 10+) and be sure they do not have peanut allergies!

 

            I love snacks!  Do you like snacks?  One of my favorite (healthy) snacks is peanuts.  They are just so tasty.  But you can’t just pick a peanut and eat it.  Who can tell me what you have to do first?  (Allow for response).  Of course, you have to take off the shell. 

            All peanuts grow with a hard shell around them.  In fact, this shell reminds me of how we are born.  The Bible says that we are all born in sin.  So it’s like we all have a hard shell of sin around our heart.  We know that if we are going to be able to use this peanut we have to get rid of the shell.  And if we are going to be useful to God and have a relationship with Him, we must allow Him to get rid of the sin in our life. 

            But do you know what some people try to do?  They try to keep their sin and still be okay with God.  They come to God and say, “Here I am, sin and all.”  (Take a bite of a peanut in its shell, or have a helper take a bite).  You can’t leave the shell on a peanut and you can’t leave the sin in your life if you want to live for God.  Other people leave the sin in their life because they say it’s too hard to get rid of it.  That’s like saying, “It’s too hard to shell the peanut, so I’ll just eat it whole.”  (Take a bite of a peanut in its shell, or have a helper take a bite).  It doesn’t work that way!  There’s no shortcut; you have to let God break up the hard places in your heart and get rid of the sin.  And there are a few people who try to make the sin in their life look good.  They might say, “Well, everyone else calls people names,” or, “It’s not that bad to talk about other people, as long as it’s true.”  (Color a peanut shell with some food coloring, then attempt to eat it.)  That’s funny; it still doesn’t taste any better. 

            If you’re going to enjoy this peanut, you’re going to have to get rid of the shell completely.  You can’t keep it on, you can’t say it’s just too hard to take off and you can’t try to make it look good.  If you’re going to live for God, you have to let him break up the hard ground of your heart; you have to ask Him to forgive the sin in your life and then turn away from your sin.  You can’t make excuses for your sin.  You can’t ignore it.

            Get rid of the sin and keep your heart soft toward God.

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