Praxis Is Apple Green
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are guilty of boasting.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: [10] "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' [13] But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' [14] I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."
Story:
We don't always spot other people's inner motivation because we're so dazzled by their outer appearance. But Jesus made it clear that it's our inner being which is most important and an inner being which is loves only itself is not right before God.
In this story, Praxis the pixie whose skin changes colour according to his moods is dazzled by a newcomer to the pixie village.
Praxis Is Apple Green
Praxis the pixie, whose skin changed colour according to his moods, was gleaming. He was rather a lovely shade of apple green and he was gazing with awe and delight at Raymondo. Raymondo had recently joined the pixie village, but he was unlike any pixie Praxis had ever seen.
Raymondo was quite tall for a pixie, so that all the other pixies looked up to him. He was also very handsome, so that all the girl pixie would giggle and blush whenever Raymondo strolled in their direction. And Raymondo wore the most beautiful clothes Praxis had ever seen.
Praxis wanted desperately to be just like Raymondo, hence his gleaming apple green colour. So Praxis practised secretly at home in his little toadstool in front of his tiny pixie mirror. He would strut this way and that, craning to see whether he was strolling as Raymondo strolled and whether his smile was as cool as Raymondo's smile.
Praxis took to following Raymondo at a safe distance. But he needn't have worried, for Raymondo never noticed him. Raymondo only noticed pixies who would be useful to him in some way, and Praxis didn't fit into that category.
One day, the Wise Old Pixie spotted Praxis hanging about behind Raymondo and called to him. Praxis frowned. Normally he was overjoyed when he was with the Wise Old Pixie, but just at the moment the Wise Old Pixie was boring and Praxis wanted to be where things were happening. But it didn't do to ignore the Wise Old Pixie, so Praxis slouched over to him with his shoulders hunched and the frown still on his face.
"Why, Praxis!" said the Wise Old Pixie looking at Praxis' skin. "Why so blue? What's wrong?"
Praxis shrugged. "Nothing."
The Wise Old Pixie nodded. "You know, Praxis," he began, "just because someone or something is glamorous and exciting and good to look at doesn't mean that they are good or that thing is good."
Praxis turned red with anger. He could never remember being angry with the Wise Old Pixie before. Perhaps he was growing up and the Wise Old Pixie was just too old. "I suppose you're talking about Raymondo?" he replied. Then he added virtuously, "I thought you taught us to love everyone. Are you telling me I'm wrong when I try to put that into practice?"
A twinkle appeared in the Wise Old Pixie's eye. "I'm delighted to see that you're obeying instructions," he said gravely. "What exactly is that you love about Raymondo?"
Praxis was stunned. Surely Raymondo's glory obvious to anyone, even someone as old as the Wise Old Pixie. Praxis began to return to his apple green colour and his eyes took on a dreamy look as he responded. "Well, he's so good looking and he's taller than anyone else in the village. And his clothes! Wow! They're so cool. I wish I had clothes like that. And he has this way of smiling, so that all the girls adore him and - and - he can have anything he wants in the whole world because he's just perfect."
"Does he know he's perfect, would you say?" asked the Wise Old Pixie.
Praxis nodded. "Well, yes! Of course he does! Everyone kind of worships him and I guess he does rather enjoy that."
"Who does he worship? Who's at the centre of his life?"
Praxis thought for a minute, then his skin began to slowly change to pink. He looked at the Wise Old Pixie and met those kind and gentle eyes, holding nothing but love for him, Praxis. "Oh," he said. "I think I begin to see. You mean, Raymondo only loves himself?"
"What do you think?" responded the Wise Old Pixie. But as Praxis walked away, the Wise Old Pixie was delighted to see that Praxis was now once again becoming a bright, healthy pink
Activity:
You need:
A selection of hats for different people, eg police officer's hat, builder's hard hat, farmer's cap etc. Try to get enough hats so that there is one for each child
Cards, with the occupation relating to one of the hats written on each card.
A sheet of gold foil card for each child
Scissors
Glue
Coloured beads to act as jewels
Divide the children into two teams for an acting game. The leader of one team should come up and take a card. They then have to act out the occupation which is written on their card. When the opposing team guess which the occupation is, give the actor the corresponding hat. Continue with someone from the other team and then continue alternately until you have worked through all the hats and all the cards.
Ask who would wear a crown and give out the gold foil card. Help each child to make a crown for themselves, sticking beads on to make jewels. When all the crowns are finished, get the children to put them on, then all together to act in the manner of a king. There may well be a good deal of strutting about!
Ask whether Jesus was that sort of a king? Tease out the difference between Jesus and earthly kings. Point out that it's not how important we think we are that matters, but what we're like inside.
Prayers:
Majestic God, remind us all in our church that we are all equally valuable to you and that you love every single one of us. Help us to be like you, loving each other but not trying to be more important than each other.
Majestic God, may those who have important positions in our world remember their responsibility to look after and help the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. May all our leaders remember that you see into their hearts as well as their outsides.
Majestic God, give me true humility. May I not pretend to be humble whilst secretly remaining enraptured by myself, but may I be deeply humble so that I recognise my own worth and discard anything else.
Majestic God, we pray for all who need our prayers. As we hold the sick and the suffering in your presence for your touch, prod us to remember to show human concern by ringing or visiting or sending a card so that we share in your healing mission.
Blessing:
May our God enable you
to be the same on the inside
as on the outside
and teach you true humility.
And may the blessing of God Almighty
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are guilty of boasting.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: [10] "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' [13] But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' [14] I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."
Story:
We don't always spot other people's inner motivation because we're so dazzled by their outer appearance. But Jesus made it clear that it's our inner being which is most important and an inner being which is loves only itself is not right before God.
In this story, Praxis the pixie whose skin changes colour according to his moods is dazzled by a newcomer to the pixie village.
Praxis Is Apple Green
Praxis the pixie, whose skin changed colour according to his moods, was gleaming. He was rather a lovely shade of apple green and he was gazing with awe and delight at Raymondo. Raymondo had recently joined the pixie village, but he was unlike any pixie Praxis had ever seen.
Raymondo was quite tall for a pixie, so that all the other pixies looked up to him. He was also very handsome, so that all the girl pixie would giggle and blush whenever Raymondo strolled in their direction. And Raymondo wore the most beautiful clothes Praxis had ever seen.
Praxis wanted desperately to be just like Raymondo, hence his gleaming apple green colour. So Praxis practised secretly at home in his little toadstool in front of his tiny pixie mirror. He would strut this way and that, craning to see whether he was strolling as Raymondo strolled and whether his smile was as cool as Raymondo's smile.
Praxis took to following Raymondo at a safe distance. But he needn't have worried, for Raymondo never noticed him. Raymondo only noticed pixies who would be useful to him in some way, and Praxis didn't fit into that category.
One day, the Wise Old Pixie spotted Praxis hanging about behind Raymondo and called to him. Praxis frowned. Normally he was overjoyed when he was with the Wise Old Pixie, but just at the moment the Wise Old Pixie was boring and Praxis wanted to be where things were happening. But it didn't do to ignore the Wise Old Pixie, so Praxis slouched over to him with his shoulders hunched and the frown still on his face.
"Why, Praxis!" said the Wise Old Pixie looking at Praxis' skin. "Why so blue? What's wrong?"
Praxis shrugged. "Nothing."
The Wise Old Pixie nodded. "You know, Praxis," he began, "just because someone or something is glamorous and exciting and good to look at doesn't mean that they are good or that thing is good."
Praxis turned red with anger. He could never remember being angry with the Wise Old Pixie before. Perhaps he was growing up and the Wise Old Pixie was just too old. "I suppose you're talking about Raymondo?" he replied. Then he added virtuously, "I thought you taught us to love everyone. Are you telling me I'm wrong when I try to put that into practice?"
A twinkle appeared in the Wise Old Pixie's eye. "I'm delighted to see that you're obeying instructions," he said gravely. "What exactly is that you love about Raymondo?"
Praxis was stunned. Surely Raymondo's glory obvious to anyone, even someone as old as the Wise Old Pixie. Praxis began to return to his apple green colour and his eyes took on a dreamy look as he responded. "Well, he's so good looking and he's taller than anyone else in the village. And his clothes! Wow! They're so cool. I wish I had clothes like that. And he has this way of smiling, so that all the girls adore him and - and - he can have anything he wants in the whole world because he's just perfect."
"Does he know he's perfect, would you say?" asked the Wise Old Pixie.
Praxis nodded. "Well, yes! Of course he does! Everyone kind of worships him and I guess he does rather enjoy that."
"Who does he worship? Who's at the centre of his life?"
Praxis thought for a minute, then his skin began to slowly change to pink. He looked at the Wise Old Pixie and met those kind and gentle eyes, holding nothing but love for him, Praxis. "Oh," he said. "I think I begin to see. You mean, Raymondo only loves himself?"
"What do you think?" responded the Wise Old Pixie. But as Praxis walked away, the Wise Old Pixie was delighted to see that Praxis was now once again becoming a bright, healthy pink
Activity:
You need:
A selection of hats for different people, eg police officer's hat, builder's hard hat, farmer's cap etc. Try to get enough hats so that there is one for each child
Cards, with the occupation relating to one of the hats written on each card.
A sheet of gold foil card for each child
Scissors
Glue
Coloured beads to act as jewels
Divide the children into two teams for an acting game. The leader of one team should come up and take a card. They then have to act out the occupation which is written on their card. When the opposing team guess which the occupation is, give the actor the corresponding hat. Continue with someone from the other team and then continue alternately until you have worked through all the hats and all the cards.
Ask who would wear a crown and give out the gold foil card. Help each child to make a crown for themselves, sticking beads on to make jewels. When all the crowns are finished, get the children to put them on, then all together to act in the manner of a king. There may well be a good deal of strutting about!
Ask whether Jesus was that sort of a king? Tease out the difference between Jesus and earthly kings. Point out that it's not how important we think we are that matters, but what we're like inside.
Prayers:
Majestic God, remind us all in our church that we are all equally valuable to you and that you love every single one of us. Help us to be like you, loving each other but not trying to be more important than each other.
Majestic God, may those who have important positions in our world remember their responsibility to look after and help the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. May all our leaders remember that you see into their hearts as well as their outsides.
Majestic God, give me true humility. May I not pretend to be humble whilst secretly remaining enraptured by myself, but may I be deeply humble so that I recognise my own worth and discard anything else.
Majestic God, we pray for all who need our prayers. As we hold the sick and the suffering in your presence for your touch, prod us to remember to show human concern by ringing or visiting or sending a card so that we share in your healing mission.
Blessing:
May our God enable you
to be the same on the inside
as on the outside
and teach you true humility.
And may the blessing of God Almighty
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
