Items needed
- several items from the garden
- a very dirty piece of candy or a dirty boiled treat
Lesson
Earlier today I went into the garden to see what I could find. I collected a few things here in this margarine tub. Show the tub without revealing the contents.
Pull out the items from the tub one by one, saying a few words about each to make sure everybody knows what it is, and then putting it back in the tub. Examples of things you could use:
- A leaf
- A rusty old nail
- One or two small pieces of litter
- A stone with some dirt on it
- A weed with some soil still clinging to the roots
"Isn't it exciting what you can find when you really search around?" (Now pull out a half eaten chocolate or boiled sweet).
Look at this! what is it? I think somebody might have had a bite and then thrown it away because they didn't like it. Anyway, no use letting it go to waste - who would like to eat it? (hopefully no response!).
You've been good (perhaps to an older child) you deserve a reward - look, I'll blow some of the dirt off for you - would you like the chocolate? Why not?
Draw out the answer that the chocolate is dirty, and is probably contaminated with germs.
Ask two or three children: "Would you put this in your mouth?", hopefully getting the answer "No!" each time.
We're very careful about what goes into our mouths aren't we? But are we as careful about what comes out?
Jesus spoke about that in Matthew 15:11. What comes out of your mouth? Swearing? Lies? Cheek? Unkind words? It's right to be careful about what goes into our mouths. But the scriptures tell us that we have to be even more careful about what comes out.
Relevant texts: Matthew 15:11, James 3:1-10, Colossians 3:8
