Items needed
- a few celery sticks that have been soaking in colored water
- an undyed celery stick
See how easily this stalk of celery took on the color of water in which it was sitting? Small children are just like that stalk of celery. They take on all the characteristics of the family around them. Is your home colored with anger, yelling, sarcasm, and criticism? Or is your home colored with patience, cooperation, soft tones and laughter? Children will absorb examples they receive at home.
You can also use this lesson to teach regular attendance, scripture study, or as an encouragement for teachers. It took a few days of constant exposure to the food coloring for the celery to change its color. We also need constant (you fill in: scripture study, church attendance, exposure to the Spirit in our church lessons, etc) to become colored with good influences.
Another obvious application is sin/pornography/bad movies/bad music/immoral friends--when we constantly (or often) expose ourselves to bad influences, we take on the characteristics of that evil. This lesson could also be taught with a carnation soaked in food coloring.
Source: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/4746/lessons.html, some additions by Jenny Smith
