Give it away
Children's sermon
Object:
some coins
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some coins with me this morning.
(Show the coins.) How many of these coins would it take to be rich? (Let
them respond.) I think it would take millions of these coins before you
would really be rich. How many of you would like to be rich? (Wait for
show of hands.) I think most of us would like to be rich. What would you
think if you had a wish that everything you touched turned to gold? (Let
them respond.) You would soon have lots and lots of gold and you would
quickly be very, very rich. There's a famous story about a man who had
that wish come true. Everything he touched turned to gold. He kept
everything himself and he was very, very rich because everything turned
to gold. But one day his daughter came to see him. He went to touch her and
she turned to gold. How do you think he felt? (Let them respond.) It didn't
do him much good to be so rich when he had turned his daughter to gold. He
must have been very sad. He loved money so much and it wasn't worth
anything without his daughter.
That's what can happen when we love money so much. Of course, people and things can't really turn to gold. But there are other very rich people who love to help people with their money. They keep some of the money, but lots of it they give away. Some people give so much money that a town can have a brand new library, or hospital or school. Those people who can give that much money must be very rich. Instead of loving the money so much that they keep it all for themselves, they love people and want to help them. So they build libraries and buy books. Or they build hospitals and buy the equipment. Or maybe they buy land for a park and put new playground equipment in the park.
Our lesson today talks about money and loving it too much. The lesson says it is ``the root of all kinds of evil'' when we love money too much. If you had millions of these coins, would you give a library or a playground or a hospital to help people? (Let them respond.) Money is great when it helps people!
That's what can happen when we love money so much. Of course, people and things can't really turn to gold. But there are other very rich people who love to help people with their money. They keep some of the money, but lots of it they give away. Some people give so much money that a town can have a brand new library, or hospital or school. Those people who can give that much money must be very rich. Instead of loving the money so much that they keep it all for themselves, they love people and want to help them. So they build libraries and buy books. Or they build hospitals and buy the equipment. Or maybe they buy land for a park and put new playground equipment in the park.
Our lesson today talks about money and loving it too much. The lesson says it is ``the root of all kinds of evil'' when we love money too much. If you had millions of these coins, would you give a library or a playground or a hospital to help people? (Let them respond.) Money is great when it helps people!
