My Special Glasses
…honor others more than you do yourself. Romans 12:10
Props: a pair of glasses with a mirror attached to the front of the lenses
A helper comes out wearing “special” glasses. They should have a mirror attached to them (covering the lenses) so that all the helper can see is himself. He insists that they are most helpful; with them he doesn’t have to see the needs and problem of others and can be free to focus on himself. As he speaks he continually runs into things, knocks things over, etc. until you (the teacher) remove the glasses from him. He is amazed at the new perspective on life.
Some people only want to look at and think of themselves. Romans 12:10 says to honor others more than you do yourself. That means that you think of ways to serve and help others. You can’t serve and help others if you never look past yourself. Instead of looking in toward yourself all the time, look out and see the needs of others. Pray for them, think of ways that you can help them and put others before yourself.
Math Drill
July 19, 2010 by Marla
Filed under Christian Life, Love, Obedience
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
Props: professor costume, white board or poster board and markers, tripod
Begin with a skit in which a wacky professor enters and begins energetically teaching new math skills to a group of young students. He is trying to explain complicated formulas, etc. Several students try to raise their hand and get the professor’s attention, but the professor insists that there is no time for that; the formulas are too detailed and he cannot be interrupted with silly questions. Finally, when he is done with the first formula (and out of breath and chalkboard space), he calls on a student to answer his question. The student explains that he and the rest of the class do not even know how to add, much less follow complicated formulas. The Professor is quite flustered and says he is going in search of another, more prepared, group of students.
Teacher follow-up: The students in the skit didn’t need a bunch of complicated math formulas; they needed the basics! The basics are the most important, because if you don’t know how to add and subtract, you won’t be able to learn the harder math. And even when you do learn the more difficult steps, you still can’t forget the basics. I remember people in math classes in school who knew all the very hard math, but sometimes forgot to add a simple number at the end, so they got the whole problem wrong. Everything builds on the basics!
The same is true with living for God. Some people memorize lots of scriptures, but never obey the Bible. Others might spend lots of time and money trying to think of a way to help people around the world, but they do not even help their own neighbor. Still others might spend their whole life studying the family histories of the Bible, but they never pray for their own family.
In the end, it all comes down to the basics: do you love and obey God and do you love others? There’s no skipping the basics. They are the foundation of our relationship with God. So don’t lose sight of the basics. Keep your eyes on God and your heart close to him.
What Is It Worth?
…[love] does not boast, it is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4
Props: 4 identical toys, wrapped in different packages (some fancy, some plain)
Today I have with me four very different packages. I wonder what’s inside. Before we look inside, I want you to help me guess how much the contents of each are worth. (Hold up each package and allow the children to guess the worth of each. Help them by giving them some figures to choose from, such as $1, $5, or $10). Okay, now that we have guessed, let’s open them up. (Proceed to open each package, revealing that all are the same inside). So how much was each worth? (Allow for response, giving the kids the real value). They’re all worth the same. Is any one of these toys any better than the others? (Allow for response). But some were in nice packages, and others weren’t. It doesn’t really seem to matter, though. And it probably doesn’t matter where they came from either. Even if they came from different stores, they’re still the same toy.
Each of us looks a little different than everyone else. Some have dark hair, some have light hair. Some have freckles, some don’t. There are people with very many different colors of skin and eyes. But what’s on the outside is kind-of like these packages. It’s just the wrapping. The inside of a person is what gives him or her value. And just like the toys, it doesn’t matter where a person comes from. That person is still a human being. Even as each toy had the same price, God paid the same price for each one of us. He gave His son Jesus for each person on Earth. And that makes everyone equally valuable in His sight. If God says we’re all worth the same, then shouldn’t we treat others the same? No one is any better than anyone else. So you shouldn’t be proud and think that you’re better than others. God loves us all.
What Makes a Heart Hard?
July 19, 2010 by ebeyer
Filed under Christian Life, Love
“…Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord…” Hosea 10:12
Props: pictures of hands/feet with calluses
Today we’re going to look at a minor prophet with a major message: Hosea. Hosea was one of God’s prophets who spoke to the nation of Israel. Who remembers what a prophet is? (Allow for response). A prophet receives a message from God and passes it on to others.
God was sending a message to Israel because their hearts had become hard. Does anyone know what it means to be hard-hearted? (Allow for response). It means that you don’t have feelings or care anymore. Israel didn’t love God the way they used to. They didn’t care about Him anymore. They were running after other gods. How does someone become hard-hearted like that? It’s kind of like the way you get a callus on your foot or hand. Calluses are those rough, bumpy areas on your feet or hands. All the skin around it might be smooth, but that one area is rough and hard.
Calluses are formed by constant pressure and lack of protection and care. Look at the middle finger of your writing hand. Many people have what they call “writer’s bump” there because a pen or pencil puts constant pressure on that spot. There’s nothing there to protect it and most people don’t take the time to treat it with lotion after every time they write. Now take a look at your feet. Some of you are too young, but some may already have calluses on your big toe or the balls of your foot. That’s because when you stand it puts pressure on your foot. If there’s nothing there to protect the skin, it will start to form hard layers to keep from having pain.
Your real heart is very well protected inside your body, so it will not get calluses. But your heart (meaning your feelings and thoughts) and your spirit (that part of you that connects to God) can get hard toward God. Just like a callus is formed by constant pressure, people can get a hard heart toward God when they face constant pressure. You know what it’s like to have problems: maybe your parents are divorced, or someone you love is very sick or dies. It could be that you always get picked on at school or home. All of these things put pressure on you. It’s easy to blame God and let your heart get hard, hoping it will help you not hurt anymore. But God wants you to keep your heart soft toward Him so that He can do His work in you and help to take away your pain. You can also get hard-hearted when you don’t protect your heart. When you let yourself love other things more than God, you are not caring for your relationship with Him and your heart can become hard toward Him.
Keep your heart soft toward God. Don’t let the pressures of life or your love for other things make you hard toward God.
Love is the Main Ingredient
…if I…have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2
Props: all the necessary ingredients for chocolate chip cookies except chocolate chips; recipe book
Today I’m going to make chocolate chip cookies. (Take out recipe book). Who would like to sample these when I’m done? Okay, here I go. I’ve got sugar and flour, eggs, a touch of vanilla, a little baking powder and salt. Oh, and brown sugar, of course. That’s my special ingredient. Now, what am I missing? (Allow for response). Chocolate chips? Nah, I think I’ll be okay without them. The cookies will still taste okay.
(A helper interrupts): You can’t do that! You have to have chocolate chips!
Teacher: The cookies will still be good.
Helper: Well, then change the name. At least don’t call them chocolate chip cookies if they’re not going to have any chocolate chips inside.
Teacher: What difference does it make what I call them?
Helper: You just don’t get it!
Follow-up: Boys and girls, in the same way that you can’t make chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips; you can’t live a Christian life without love. If you don’t have love, then you can’t call yourself a Christian. There are people who have relationships without love and a family without love. But the Bible says that love is the key ingredient. Don’t leave love out of your home. Don’t leave love out of your friendships or out of your other relationships. Let’s remember to love God and others!
Like It or Lump It
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6
Props: popular brand T-shirt, piece of candy, video, “sin” sign
(Hold up T-shirt) How many of you like this T-shirt? (Allow for response). Do you like it when it is hanging on the rack in the store? (Allow for response). Do you like it when your best friend is wearing it? (Allow for response). Do you still like it when the meanest kid in your class is wearing it? (Allow for response).
(Hold up candy). Who likes this candy? (Allow for response). Do you like it when it is in your lunch box? (Allow for response). How about when it is in your enemy’s lunch box? (Allow for response).
(Hold up video). How many of you like cartoons? (Allow for response). Do you like watching them at home? (Allow for response). Do you enjoy watching them at school? (Allow for response). If you knew your enemy was watching the same cartoon at his house, would you turn it off just because he was watching it? (Allow for response).
(Hold up “sin” sign). Who here likes sin, the things that God doesn’t like? (Allow for response). Do you hate it when you do bad things and get in trouble? (Allow for response). Do you still hate it when your worst enemy does bad things and gets in trouble? (Allow for response).
Sometimes we are happy when our enemies get in trouble, but the Bible says that is wrong. We should hate things that are wrong, even if it is our worst enemy who does them and even if it makes them get in trouble. When other people sin, no matter who it is, it should make us sad. True love wants others to be their very best. Let’s show true love to others by wanting them to be their best!
Work It Out
July 19, 2010 by ebeyer
Filed under Love, Thought Life
… [Love] always hopes… 1 Corinthians 13:7
Props: difficult puzzle (such as a “mind-bender”)
How many of you have ever played with a puzzle like this one? It can be frustrating! Sometimes just when you think you’re going to solve it, you find out you really haven’t made it any farther than when you began. It’s tempting to give up, but if you really want to solve it you’ll keep working at it and even get help if you need to, until you solve it.
In life you will have problems, too. Your problems in life are usually much bigger and more difficult than this puzzle. Many times they are problems that your friends and family are having. Maybe your mom and dad fight all the time. Or it could be that they drink at times until they get drunk and do bad things. You might know kids at school that are always mean to you. Whatever the problem, it can be frustrating and make you want to give up on those people. You may want to give up on your parents and think that they’ll never change. Maybe you’ve thought that those kids at school or in your neighborhood will never be nice to you.
1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “…[Love] always hopes…” That means true love never gives up on others. You can see a change in the people around you when you learn to want for them to change, pray and talk to God about it and believe with all your heart that it’s going to happen.
Let It Go!
July 19, 2010 by Marla
Filed under Forgiveness, Love, Skits
…[love] keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5
Props: 3 backpacks, 6-8 “bricks” labeled with various offenses
Judge: Okay, here’s how it works. You each have a backpack. Whenever you do something wrong, a brick will be added to your backpack and you have to carry it around all day. Understand?
Kid 1 and 2: Yep!
Kid 1 (to Kid 2): This is great! Now you’ll finally get what’s coming to you. (to judge) Last year, he tripped me when I was walking down the hall at school. I dropped my books and they went flying everywhere! I was so embarrassed…and hurt. I was hurt!
Judge pulls out a brick and sets it down.
Kid 2: (Solemnly) I said I was sorry.
Kid 1: (to judge) And 6 months ago he knocked over my drink in the cafeteria. I got chocolate milk all over my new pants.
Judge adds a brick to the first.
Kid 2: But I offered to help clean up, and I apologized.
Kid 1: (to judge) Last month he borrowed my video game, and I haven’t seen it since.
Judge adds a brick to the pile.
Kid 2: I’ll bring it back…
Kid 1: (to judge) He even called me a name last week.
Judge adds a brick to the pile.
Kid 2: I’m sorry.
Kid 1: And yesterday he chose four other kids to be on his team before me.
Judge adds a brick to the pile.
Judge: Well, it looks like we’ve got quite a pile of bricks built up here. (Places all of the bricks in the backpack of Kid 1).
Kid 1: (shocked) Judge, you’ve made a mistake. These bricks are supposed to go in his backpack. He’s the one who’s done everything wrong.
Judge: He’s already done his part to make things right by asking forgiveness. You’re the one that can’t let go of these things by refusing to forgive and forget! So you’re the one that’s going to have to carry them around. They’ll be with you until you can learn to forgive.
(All walk toward exit).
Kid 1: But I can’t live like this! How am I supposed to do anything?
Judge: It’s very hard to live when you’re carrying everyone else’s mistakes around.
(Exit).
Teacher: (Use extra backpack and bricks as you teach). Keeping a record of wrongs means keeping track of what others have done wrong, remembering it, and reminding them of it. What you’re really doing is carrying their mistake around yourself. Who is the one who suffers for that? (Allow for response). If you do not forgive others, you are the one who suffers for it, because you are the one carrying the bad feelings around. (Begin taking the bricks out of the backpack). When you forgive, you choose to let go of what someone has done to you and it frees you up. It will make you feel better on the inside. God doesn’t want us to walk around so sad and weighed down all the time. That’s why He told us to forgive. True love is quick to forgive.
Let God Carry the Load
… [Love] always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:7
Props: shopping cart (or basket); variety of grocery items arranged on tables or shelves
Begin with a skit in which two shoppers happen upon one another at the grocery store. One is using a shopping cart while the other insists that he can carry all of the groceries himself. They chat while continuing to pick up groceries. A pro- and anti-cart discussion follows and ends with the anti-cart shopper becoming overloaded and falling to the ground, buried in groceries.
It’s silly to try to do or handle everything yourself when something or someone is available and right there to help you. It was impossible for this man to carry everything on his own; he should have just used a grocery cart. But he thought he could do it himself.
When people act unkindly to you, you might find yourself trying to carry it around on your own. “She is being so mean to me that I can’t stand to be around her another minute,” you might say. Maybe sometimes you think, “It makes me so mad when he calls me names that I don’t know what to do.” If you try to handle it on your own, you won’t be able to any more than that man could carry all of his groceries around. God wants to help you handle things through His love. Let God carry the load. It’s not your love that can endure, but rather His love in you that can endure. The next time someone does or says something mean to you, let God love that person through you. Don’t try to handle it on your own. True love perseveres, or keeps going, no matter what. So give it to God and let Him take care of it.
You Are His Child
…you are God’s chosen and special people. 1 Peter 2:9
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus… Galatians 3:26
Props: baby doll, diaper bag, bottles, diapers, baby wipes, etc.
Learning to see yourself like God does means learning who you are to God. If you think that God is just up there in heaven somewhere and doesn’t see or hear us, you won’t understand how precious, special and important you are. The truth is, He cares for us more than we can ever understand. In fact, if we apologize for our sins, ask for His forgiveness and let Jesus take control of our lives, God calls us His children. That means that He loves us like His very own.
Have you ever seen good parents take care of their children? They will do anything for their children. They feed them, burp them, wipe up their spit-up and, of course, change their dirty diapers. (Display items as you talk about them). Why would anyone do that? (Allow for response). The only reason parents would take care of their children is because they love them. God takes care of you because He loves you. You are important to Him. When you understand that, you begin to see yourself like God does. You start to understand how precious and important you are. See yourself like God does and remember that you are His child.