Two and one
Children's sermon
Object:
your own face or a picture of a face
Good morning! I want to ask a riddle of you. I have two of
these. You do too. Too often I don't use mine enough. What is
it I am speaking about? (Let them answer. If they don't get it
right away, give them hints.) You got it right! My ears. I
have two of them, but sometimes I don't listen as well as I could
or should. Now, the next part of the riddle: I have just one of
these and I tend to use it too much. (Let them answer. Again,
they may need hints.) You got it! I tend to use my mouth too
much.
Let me ask you this: Do you think God gave us two ears and just one mouth so that we could be good listeners? (Let them answer.) I think maybe so. Listening is not always easy. Speaking is sometimes too easy. It is often easier to say something than to listen to another person say something.
When James wrote his letter, he said, "Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak...." Why do you think that might be good advice? (Let them answer.) If we listen more carefully to what others have to say, we can better understand them. If all we do is talk all the time, then we may never understand what the people around us want and need.
James has given us some wonderful advice. It is good to listen when others speak. It indicates that we respect that person. It helps us understand him or her. It helps the other person respect and listen to us when we speak to him or her. James had some good advice to give to the people of God.
Dearest Jesus: Teach us to be quick listeners to what others have to say. Amen.
Let me ask you this: Do you think God gave us two ears and just one mouth so that we could be good listeners? (Let them answer.) I think maybe so. Listening is not always easy. Speaking is sometimes too easy. It is often easier to say something than to listen to another person say something.
When James wrote his letter, he said, "Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak...." Why do you think that might be good advice? (Let them answer.) If we listen more carefully to what others have to say, we can better understand them. If all we do is talk all the time, then we may never understand what the people around us want and need.
James has given us some wonderful advice. It is good to listen when others speak. It indicates that we respect that person. It helps us understand him or her. It helps the other person respect and listen to us when we speak to him or her. James had some good advice to give to the people of God.
Dearest Jesus: Teach us to be quick listeners to what others have to say. Amen.
