Confidence from God
WELCOME TO WEEK 3
welcome to week 3! Sometimes we don’t have the right things to say to help someone feel better, or give the right answer to the teacher, but God can give us the right words to say in all situations. This week we will see how God can help us use the wisdom he’s given us to say the right things.
BIBLE STORY
I’m going to say several things right now. I want you to listen to my words and show how they would make you feel by showing me your smiley face, frown face or surprised face.
I love you
You are the best
I have a surprise for you!
Your hair is on fire!
Those shoes are not nice
You are a wonderful artist
You are a good friend
You did a bad thing
I will not share with you
Come join me
Watch out for the snake!
You may not play with us
Words that people say affect us, don’t they? When people say kind words to us, it makes us feel good. When people say unkind words we can be left feeling sad. Our words can hurt others or they can make others feel good. God can give us the words we need to say to help others feel loved. The story this week is about Solomon’s wise words.
Read or listen to the scripture 1 Kings 3:16-28
Who came to see King Solomon? (2 Mothers of 2 small babies)
What did the first mother say happened? (The other woman had a baby a few days after her and after she laid with her baby she crushed it, and then switched the dead baby for the living baby)
What did both mothers claim? (That the living baby was hers)
What did Solomon decide to do? (Cut the baby in half so that they could share it)
What did the first mother tell King Solomon? (Do not kill the living baby but give it to the other woman)
What did the second mother tell King Solomon? (Cut the baby in half so no one would have him)
What did Solomon decide? (Not to cut the baby but to give the baby to the first mother because that is his really mother)
How did King Solomon know who was the mother? (A mother would not want to see her own child killed)
What did Israel think of King Solomon’s ruling? (they thought highly of him and thought he had God’s wisdom to give justice
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
God gives each of us the wisdom to know the right words to say. We speak to our friends and family in ways that can either bring them joy or hurt them. Our tone can also change the way those words feel. We can ask God to help us have the right words to say and also the right tone in how we say them to others.
Activity
Post these smiley and frown faces all around the room. Walk around the room with your child and have them find an emoji face and say a sentence that would make someone else feel that emotion. For example, if they find a smiley face they may say “Jesus loves you” or “I want to share my toys with you". If they find a frown face, have them say something they’ve been told that hurt their feelings and then you tell them a statement of truth that is positive (a way to turn the frown to a smile). For example they may say “You can’t play with me” A truth statement would be “Jesus says he accepts us just as we are.”
Materials: printed and cut smile and frown faces, tape
Alternate
Make a card to share with a friend or shut-in that has words of kindness. Help your child write a few words that may encourage someone who is down, lonely or would enjoy a kind word. Make a card from construction paper and other craft materials. Show your child how to address the envelope, place a stamp on it and mail it from the mailbox. See these examples of DIY preschool made cards.
Materials: crayons, pencil, markers, glue, other craft supplies
Independent activity:
Complete this activity page
Materials: printed activity sheet
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Fold a piece of construction paper in half and trace child’s hand being sure one side is along the fold of the paper. Cut out the hands without cutting agains the fold of the paper to ensure the pages stay together. On the outside write “Solomon asks for Wisdom” 1 Kings 3:5-10. On the inside of the praying hands write your child’s prayer request.
Materials: lunch sack, google eyes, yellow and orange construction paper, glue, crayons, scissors
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
Craft 3
Coloring page
Materials: Printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
In proverbs 16:24 it says gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
How would you describe honey?
Is honey healthy and beneficial to our bodies?
What are some words you can think of that are sweet like honey?
How can our words be healthy to our souls and bones?
If gracious words are sweet like a honeycomb, what would ungracious words be compared to?
How can unkind words be unhealthy for our soul?
What kind of words will you choose to use?
Do you want your words to make others feel healthy and good or do you want your words to make others feel sick and bitter?
Practical Application at Home
Our words can be powerful and we want God to give us the wisdom to have the right words to say to others. It’s important to be careful with our words because they can be hurtful and once we say the words we can’t take it back! Even when we say we are sorry, it can be hard for the other person to forget what they heard and we can’t take the words back and put them back into our mouths! Let’s demonstrate what that is like. I have some bubbles here. I’m going to blow a bunch of bubble, and then I want you to help me catch them and put them back into the container. Blow a large amount of bubbles so they fill the space, say Oh no! I changed my mind! I don’t want all these bubbles out the container, help me put them back! With your child, attempt to put them back into the container. Redirect them from simply popping the bubbles to attempting to put them back. Did it work? Were we able to put the bubbles away? We were not! It was almost impossible! What happened to the bubbles once I blew them? They were out and then popped. Right, we could not catch them and return them to the bottle. Let’s remember our words are like these bubbles. Once we say them we can not get them back so we have to be careful that we say the right words the first time. Just as God gave Solomon the right words to say God can give us the right words to say too!
Materials: bubbles
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Go to a park and spend time in worship and prayer. Ask God to show you ways to trust him and listen to his voice.