The Spoiled Child
Children's sermon
That Seeing, They May Believe
52 Children's Object Lessons
Object:
A toy microscope
Purpose: To focus on one way that we learn from God.
Lesson: Do any of you have a toy like this? What is it? In many
homes today, you can find this toy microscope. It is used to help
children discover special facts. For example, it may be used to
help a child see a small object, like an insect's wing, more
clearly.
Now, there is one special feature of the microscope that you
must remember. If you are to use a microscope you must look into
it if you are to see what is there. No one can do it for you.
The same thing is often true in life. If parents do everything
for a child, that child will never learn and will always expect
others to do things for him or her. The result is what we call a
spoiled child. Wise are the parents who let children do certain
things, even when it would be easier for the parents to do those
things themselves.
In this child-parent relationship, we learn a truth about our
relationship with God. There are many things that God could do
for us, but he does not; for he knows that the best way for us to
learn is for us to do what we can for ourselves. If God did
everything, we would become spoiled, ignorant children. We are
expected to listen to God's instructions and to
do what we can. Then, when more guidance is needed, we can turn
to God in prayer.
Paul expressed this truth in these words, "Work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians
2:12c-13) In other words, God is ever ready to help us; but we
must be ready to do our part, working with him for the full
abundant life. This does not mean that we work out our own plan
and ignore God. Rather, desiring to do what is right in the sight
of God, we work and God works and together we reach his goal
which is for our good.
The child, through practice, learns to focus the microscope
and to look into a new world of wonder. The Christian, through
practice, learns to live life in God's world and with his fellow
creatures in the way that God intended life to be lived.
Possible Times To Use This Illustration In The Home:
* When a child seems to expect others to do too much for him or
her.
* When there is a need to show how we learn by doing things
together, with each one doing his part, under the guidance of the
one who knows more.
Lesson: Do any of you have a toy like this? What is it? In many
homes today, you can find this toy microscope. It is used to help
children discover special facts. For example, it may be used to
help a child see a small object, like an insect's wing, more
clearly.
Now, there is one special feature of the microscope that you
must remember. If you are to use a microscope you must look into
it if you are to see what is there. No one can do it for you.
The same thing is often true in life. If parents do everything
for a child, that child will never learn and will always expect
others to do things for him or her. The result is what we call a
spoiled child. Wise are the parents who let children do certain
things, even when it would be easier for the parents to do those
things themselves.
In this child-parent relationship, we learn a truth about our
relationship with God. There are many things that God could do
for us, but he does not; for he knows that the best way for us to
learn is for us to do what we can for ourselves. If God did
everything, we would become spoiled, ignorant children. We are
expected to listen to God's instructions and to
do what we can. Then, when more guidance is needed, we can turn
to God in prayer.
Paul expressed this truth in these words, "Work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians
2:12c-13) In other words, God is ever ready to help us; but we
must be ready to do our part, working with him for the full
abundant life. This does not mean that we work out our own plan
and ignore God. Rather, desiring to do what is right in the sight
of God, we work and God works and together we reach his goal
which is for our good.
The child, through practice, learns to focus the microscope
and to look into a new world of wonder. The Christian, through
practice, learns to live life in God's world and with his fellow
creatures in the way that God intended life to be lived.
Possible Times To Use This Illustration In The Home:
* When a child seems to expect others to do too much for him or
her.
* When there is a need to show how we learn by doing things
together, with each one doing his part, under the guidance of the
one who knows more.
