Keeping a good friend
Children's sermon
Object:
a box of cereal
Good morning, boys and girls. Do you ever get into arguments?
(Let them answer.) Sometimes arguments are fought over the
strangest things, aren't they? In our house (list your own things
here) I've heard an argument start over who would get to read the
cereal box during breakfast. Has that ever happened to you? (Let
them answer.) It happened like this. Someone was eating
breakfast. This box of cereal (hold up the box) was in front of
that person. Someone else in the family started to eat. That
person grabbed the box and started to read it. You can imagine
the argument that started from that. Sometimes arguments can be
over silly things like this. Other times they can be over very
serious things.
Sometimes it's difficult to know how to make things better with the person you are arguing with, isn't it? The argument may end and both people -- it could be a family member or a friend -- won't talk to each other.
Did you know that Jesus told his disciples how to take care of arguments? Here is Jesus' advice toward solving an argument. First, you must be the person to try to solve it. Don't wait on the other person to solve it. Don't go to the other person when other people are present. Wait until you can talk together so that other people, who aren't in the argument, won't hear you. That way the other person won't feel as if everyone is against him. When you talk, try to become friends again. Jesus also said to pray for that person. If you are in a very big argument, praying before you talk might help you both. If your friend still won't listen to you, then take one or two other friends with you. Try again to become friends.
The next time you are in an argument remember Jesus' solution. Go to the person. Try to become his friend. Pray for the person. If that doesn't work, take some friends with you and talk to the person again.
Sometimes it's difficult to know how to make things better with the person you are arguing with, isn't it? The argument may end and both people -- it could be a family member or a friend -- won't talk to each other.
Did you know that Jesus told his disciples how to take care of arguments? Here is Jesus' advice toward solving an argument. First, you must be the person to try to solve it. Don't wait on the other person to solve it. Don't go to the other person when other people are present. Wait until you can talk together so that other people, who aren't in the argument, won't hear you. That way the other person won't feel as if everyone is against him. When you talk, try to become friends again. Jesus also said to pray for that person. If you are in a very big argument, praying before you talk might help you both. If your friend still won't listen to you, then take one or two other friends with you. Try again to become friends.
The next time you are in an argument remember Jesus' solution. Go to the person. Try to become his friend. Pray for the person. If that doesn't work, take some friends with you and talk to the person again.
