Forgiveness box
Children's sermon
Object:
a box with slit in top and no bottom; bag of coins
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (v. 15)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about forgiveness. Who can tell me what forgiveness is? (allow answers) Forgiveness is when you decide not to be angry at someone for something they have done to hurt you or to hurt another. Can anyone give me an example of forgiveness? (allow answers)
When we forgive someone, it is a weight off our shoulders. We don't have to use our energy to stay angry at them. Instead, we can use our energy to do positive, happy work in the world! But when we stay angry at someone, it is like we are dragging something heavy around with us everywhere we go.
For example, look at this bag of coins. Pass it around. Feel it. Is it heavy? (allow answers) For that small of a bag, it's pretty heavy! Do you hear how it clinks and jingles? Imagine if you had to carry that everywhere with you. At first, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. For a small bag, it's kind of heavy, but you can carry it around, no problem. But after a while, how do you think you would feel? (allow answers) You might start to be annoyed. It might not be all that heavy, but it isn't fun to carry something around with you all the time. Sometimes you have to carry it in your hands when you would rather be doing something else like playing a game with your friends. The noise of all those coins might start to get on your nerves.
Not forgiving someone is like that. At first, it's not such a big deal that you didn't forgive them. It's not that big of a weight, you think. But after a while, it starts to interfere with other things. Maybe you ruin other friendships by staying angry at that person. Maybe you start to feel bitter about everyone you meet. Eventually, you get a little bit obsessed with the person that you refuse to forgive.
But what if we didn't carry our anger in a bag like that? Instead, let's put it in this box. (Box should be placed on the floor/on a table before the sermon so it isn't apparent that there is no bottom.) I want each of you to take a coin out of that bag and put it through the slot in the box. (Allow them to do so; you may want to hold the box so it isn't accidentally lifted up.)
Now this box has some anger in it, too. But hold on a minute. Will one of you please pick up the box? (allow them to pick up the box, leaving the coins on the surface below) Whoa! What just happened? (allow answers) We picked up the box to carry it around with us, but there are no coins in it! How does the box feel? (allow answers) When we can forgive people, it is like we put our anger in a box like this. When we forgive, anger doesn't stay in the box. Instead of carrying a heavy bag of anger, we can carry the small, light box of forgiveness. It will never jingle or feel too heavy -- instead, it will be a symbol of how lucky we are to not have that weight.
Next time you are angry at someone, remember how important it is to forgive them. Not only will it help us be more kind to them, but it will also keep us from carrying such a heavy weight. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about forgiveness. Who can tell me what forgiveness is? (allow answers) Forgiveness is when you decide not to be angry at someone for something they have done to hurt you or to hurt another. Can anyone give me an example of forgiveness? (allow answers)
When we forgive someone, it is a weight off our shoulders. We don't have to use our energy to stay angry at them. Instead, we can use our energy to do positive, happy work in the world! But when we stay angry at someone, it is like we are dragging something heavy around with us everywhere we go.
For example, look at this bag of coins. Pass it around. Feel it. Is it heavy? (allow answers) For that small of a bag, it's pretty heavy! Do you hear how it clinks and jingles? Imagine if you had to carry that everywhere with you. At first, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. For a small bag, it's kind of heavy, but you can carry it around, no problem. But after a while, how do you think you would feel? (allow answers) You might start to be annoyed. It might not be all that heavy, but it isn't fun to carry something around with you all the time. Sometimes you have to carry it in your hands when you would rather be doing something else like playing a game with your friends. The noise of all those coins might start to get on your nerves.
Not forgiving someone is like that. At first, it's not such a big deal that you didn't forgive them. It's not that big of a weight, you think. But after a while, it starts to interfere with other things. Maybe you ruin other friendships by staying angry at that person. Maybe you start to feel bitter about everyone you meet. Eventually, you get a little bit obsessed with the person that you refuse to forgive.
But what if we didn't carry our anger in a bag like that? Instead, let's put it in this box. (Box should be placed on the floor/on a table before the sermon so it isn't apparent that there is no bottom.) I want each of you to take a coin out of that bag and put it through the slot in the box. (Allow them to do so; you may want to hold the box so it isn't accidentally lifted up.)
Now this box has some anger in it, too. But hold on a minute. Will one of you please pick up the box? (allow them to pick up the box, leaving the coins on the surface below) Whoa! What just happened? (allow answers) We picked up the box to carry it around with us, but there are no coins in it! How does the box feel? (allow answers) When we can forgive people, it is like we put our anger in a box like this. When we forgive, anger doesn't stay in the box. Instead of carrying a heavy bag of anger, we can carry the small, light box of forgiveness. It will never jingle or feel too heavy -- instead, it will be a symbol of how lucky we are to not have that weight.
Next time you are angry at someone, remember how important it is to forgive them. Not only will it help us be more kind to them, but it will also keep us from carrying such a heavy weight. Amen.
