We Are God's Hands
Children's sermon
Object:
can or jar with money in it
First Thoughts: We are all pretty familiar with the story of the widow's mite, how Jesus commends her on her faith and says her gift is worth more than the wealth given by the rich. But we miss out on an important opportunity here if we skip over the verses leading up to this story, during which Jesus is criticizing the religious folk who enjoy the prestige of their office and "devour widows' houses." As we consider this context, our attention begins to shift from congratulating the widow to asking the question, "Why is that all that she had?" Why, in a religious culture in which God has made clear God's expectations on the care of widows, orphans, and aliens, is this woman so destitute? The woman's faith is great, true; but she's also desperate. She has nothing left but to entrust herself in God's hands, so she does. Although her faith opens her up to blessing, the fact that she is in such desperation opens her culture up to judgment. This is a chance for us to encourage compassion in our children and to help them grow in awareness of the Christian call to service and sacrifice. It's also a chance to remind them that, even if we have practically nothing like this widow, we can entrust ourselves to God -- who honors our faith and hears our prayers. Reflect a moment on how God is speaking to you in this story and carry your prayer with you in your time with the children.
**To make this lesson timely, I am using the tragedy with Hurricane Sandy as an example of people being in need. Of course, any natural disaster will do, including local events like a house fire or a flood.**
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has the jar of money)
Leader 1: Hey (name), what do you have there?
Leader 2: I'm collecting money. At school last week we heard about all the people who were hurt by Hurricane Sandy. You know, that huge storm that hit the East coast?
Leader 1: Yes, it was a really terrible storm. A lot of people lost their houses and many still don't have electricity.
Leader 2: That's right. Our teacher asked if we could collect money so we could send supplies to those folks -- food, water, blankets, and tools to help them clean up.
Leader 1: That sounds like a great idea.
Leader 2: I decided I wanted to help but all I had was my ice cream money. You know how much I like to eat ice cream after school, right? But I decided this was more important so I gave it. I thought I had done a pretty great thing, until...
Leader 1: Until what?
Leader 2: This other kid in my class gave up her lunch money!
Leader 1: Wow. That's really a sacrifice.
Leader 2: Yeah. It made me think that it's easy to give when you have something extra, like money for ice cream. But it's harder when you're really giving up something that you need.
Leader 1: You're right. Our story today is a good example of that. Jesus was in the temple watching all the people bring their offerings. Some of the people were very rich and they were bringing lots of money. Everyone was really impressed with them -- everyone but Jesus.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: Jesus was busy watching a widow bring up her offering. She was very poor but she still brought what she could -- two little pennies. It was all she had but she gave it to God. Jesus said that what she gave was worth more than all the greatest riches, because she gave everything she had.
Leader 2: That's so sad. (pause) Hey, if there were rich people around, why didn't they help the poor widow?
Leader 1: That's a good question. Maybe they were too focused on looking good themselves to really pay attention to the needs right in front of them.
Leader 2: At least I didn't do that.
Leader 1: What do you mean?
Leader 2: When I saw my classmate was giving up her lunch money, I offered to share my lunch with her so we both got to eat!
Leader 1: How thoughtful. You know, if more of us thought like that, there would be a lot less hunger in the world.
Leader 2: (shakes jar) That's what I'm working on right now!
Teaching On Your Own: (holds glass jar) Hey everybody. Know what I'm doing? I'm collecting money. This past week at school I heard the teacher talk about Hurricane Sandy. Have you heard about that? It was a really big storm that hit the eastern part of our country. A lot of people lost their houses and many still don't have electricity. So our teacher asked if we could collect money so we could send supplies to those folks -- food, water, blankets, and tools to help them clean up. I really wanted to help but all I had was my ice cream money. I LOVE to eat ice cream in the afternoon. But I thought about all those people who needed help and I decided that was more important. I thought that was a pretty good thing for me to do, don't you? But then, guess what happened? Another kid in my class gave up her lunch money! She decided to go hungry so she could help those people. Isn't that amazing? It made me think that it's easy to give when you have something extra, like money for ice cream. But it's harder when you're really giving up something that you need.
It reminds me of our Bible story today. Jesus was in the temple watching all the people bring their offerings. Some of the people were very rich and they were bringing lots of money. Everyone was really impressed with them -- everyone but Jesus. You see, Jesus was watching a widow bringing up her offering. She was very poor, but she still brought what she could -- two little pennies. It was all she had but she gave it to God. Jesus said that what she gave was worth more than all the greatest riches, because she gave everything she had. I think that's kind of sad, don't you? Hey, wait a minute! If there were rich people around, why didn't they help the poor widow? What do you think? Maybe they were too focused on looking good themselves to really pay attention to the needs right in front of them. At least I can say that I didn't do that. When I saw my classmate was giving up her lunch money, I offered to share my lunch with her. So we both got to eat! You know what I think? I think that if we all work together, we can do a lot to make this world a less hungry place, whether we share our lunch money or share our lunch!
Closing Prayer: God, give us the faith of this poor widow to put our faith in you when we need help. And give us your heart of compassion that when we see someone in need, we will do our best to lend a helping hand. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, review the other lectionary passages this Sunday, from Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 and 1 Kings 17:8-16. Review the story of the widow and the two mites, and then tell the children the other two stories in your own words. What do we see as the same in all three stories? First, all three stories depict women, all widows, on the verge of economic ruin. Give the children some cultural context here: in this time women were not employable and were entirely dependent on men for their well-being. As widows, these women have no one to protect them or provide for them. They are in a very bad situation. Second, how do the women respond to their problems? Do they give up and die? No, each of them steps out on faith: the widow giving her two mites, Ruth and Naomi putting themselves in the care of Boaz, and the widow baking bread for Elijah. Third, how does God intervene on behalf of these women? With Ruth and Naomi, God sends Boaz. For the widow and her son, God creates a miracle in which she never runs out of oil and meal. And for the widow with the two mites? That's an open story. Maybe the scripture leaves this story open because it's waiting on us to finish it ourselves. As the church, our job is to be God's hands in this world, to care for folks like this woman.
In order to introduce the craft, read through the Prayer of St Francis* with the children and allow them to respond to it. Ask them to reflect on what it means to be God's instrument in the world. For a craft, help the children to create their own rain sticks, or some other musical instrument. If you decide to make rain sticks, for each child you will need a cardboard tube, aluminum foil, construction paper, and something to rattle inside (dried beans, corn, pebbles, and so on). Trace around the side of each cardboard tube, making a larger circle, which you can use to cap both sides. Glue the cap on one side first, then crumple up the aluminum foil and put it inside. Add the rattle-makers. Then, before you glue the other cap on, give each child a copy of the Prayer of St Francis to roll up and place inside the tube. Remind them that whenever they shake their rainmakers, they will be committing themselves to being God's instrument in our world. Allow the children to decorate the outside of their tubes, writing these words somewhere on the outside as well: "Make me an instrument of your peace." You might close your time with the children in praying the prayer of St Francis together or in quiet meditation.
*Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
**To make this lesson timely, I am using the tragedy with Hurricane Sandy as an example of people being in need. Of course, any natural disaster will do, including local events like a house fire or a flood.**
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has the jar of money)
Leader 1: Hey (name), what do you have there?
Leader 2: I'm collecting money. At school last week we heard about all the people who were hurt by Hurricane Sandy. You know, that huge storm that hit the East coast?
Leader 1: Yes, it was a really terrible storm. A lot of people lost their houses and many still don't have electricity.
Leader 2: That's right. Our teacher asked if we could collect money so we could send supplies to those folks -- food, water, blankets, and tools to help them clean up.
Leader 1: That sounds like a great idea.
Leader 2: I decided I wanted to help but all I had was my ice cream money. You know how much I like to eat ice cream after school, right? But I decided this was more important so I gave it. I thought I had done a pretty great thing, until...
Leader 1: Until what?
Leader 2: This other kid in my class gave up her lunch money!
Leader 1: Wow. That's really a sacrifice.
Leader 2: Yeah. It made me think that it's easy to give when you have something extra, like money for ice cream. But it's harder when you're really giving up something that you need.
Leader 1: You're right. Our story today is a good example of that. Jesus was in the temple watching all the people bring their offerings. Some of the people were very rich and they were bringing lots of money. Everyone was really impressed with them -- everyone but Jesus.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: Jesus was busy watching a widow bring up her offering. She was very poor but she still brought what she could -- two little pennies. It was all she had but she gave it to God. Jesus said that what she gave was worth more than all the greatest riches, because she gave everything she had.
Leader 2: That's so sad. (pause) Hey, if there were rich people around, why didn't they help the poor widow?
Leader 1: That's a good question. Maybe they were too focused on looking good themselves to really pay attention to the needs right in front of them.
Leader 2: At least I didn't do that.
Leader 1: What do you mean?
Leader 2: When I saw my classmate was giving up her lunch money, I offered to share my lunch with her so we both got to eat!
Leader 1: How thoughtful. You know, if more of us thought like that, there would be a lot less hunger in the world.
Leader 2: (shakes jar) That's what I'm working on right now!
Teaching On Your Own: (holds glass jar) Hey everybody. Know what I'm doing? I'm collecting money. This past week at school I heard the teacher talk about Hurricane Sandy. Have you heard about that? It was a really big storm that hit the eastern part of our country. A lot of people lost their houses and many still don't have electricity. So our teacher asked if we could collect money so we could send supplies to those folks -- food, water, blankets, and tools to help them clean up. I really wanted to help but all I had was my ice cream money. I LOVE to eat ice cream in the afternoon. But I thought about all those people who needed help and I decided that was more important. I thought that was a pretty good thing for me to do, don't you? But then, guess what happened? Another kid in my class gave up her lunch money! She decided to go hungry so she could help those people. Isn't that amazing? It made me think that it's easy to give when you have something extra, like money for ice cream. But it's harder when you're really giving up something that you need.
It reminds me of our Bible story today. Jesus was in the temple watching all the people bring their offerings. Some of the people were very rich and they were bringing lots of money. Everyone was really impressed with them -- everyone but Jesus. You see, Jesus was watching a widow bringing up her offering. She was very poor, but she still brought what she could -- two little pennies. It was all she had but she gave it to God. Jesus said that what she gave was worth more than all the greatest riches, because she gave everything she had. I think that's kind of sad, don't you? Hey, wait a minute! If there were rich people around, why didn't they help the poor widow? What do you think? Maybe they were too focused on looking good themselves to really pay attention to the needs right in front of them. At least I can say that I didn't do that. When I saw my classmate was giving up her lunch money, I offered to share my lunch with her. So we both got to eat! You know what I think? I think that if we all work together, we can do a lot to make this world a less hungry place, whether we share our lunch money or share our lunch!
Closing Prayer: God, give us the faith of this poor widow to put our faith in you when we need help. And give us your heart of compassion that when we see someone in need, we will do our best to lend a helping hand. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, review the other lectionary passages this Sunday, from Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 and 1 Kings 17:8-16. Review the story of the widow and the two mites, and then tell the children the other two stories in your own words. What do we see as the same in all three stories? First, all three stories depict women, all widows, on the verge of economic ruin. Give the children some cultural context here: in this time women were not employable and were entirely dependent on men for their well-being. As widows, these women have no one to protect them or provide for them. They are in a very bad situation. Second, how do the women respond to their problems? Do they give up and die? No, each of them steps out on faith: the widow giving her two mites, Ruth and Naomi putting themselves in the care of Boaz, and the widow baking bread for Elijah. Third, how does God intervene on behalf of these women? With Ruth and Naomi, God sends Boaz. For the widow and her son, God creates a miracle in which she never runs out of oil and meal. And for the widow with the two mites? That's an open story. Maybe the scripture leaves this story open because it's waiting on us to finish it ourselves. As the church, our job is to be God's hands in this world, to care for folks like this woman.
In order to introduce the craft, read through the Prayer of St Francis* with the children and allow them to respond to it. Ask them to reflect on what it means to be God's instrument in the world. For a craft, help the children to create their own rain sticks, or some other musical instrument. If you decide to make rain sticks, for each child you will need a cardboard tube, aluminum foil, construction paper, and something to rattle inside (dried beans, corn, pebbles, and so on). Trace around the side of each cardboard tube, making a larger circle, which you can use to cap both sides. Glue the cap on one side first, then crumple up the aluminum foil and put it inside. Add the rattle-makers. Then, before you glue the other cap on, give each child a copy of the Prayer of St Francis to roll up and place inside the tube. Remind them that whenever they shake their rainmakers, they will be committing themselves to being God's instrument in our world. Allow the children to decorate the outside of their tubes, writing these words somewhere on the outside as well: "Make me an instrument of your peace." You might close your time with the children in praying the prayer of St Francis together or in quiet meditation.
*Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
