Bible Stories

by Pat Holt,
See the Light founder

What does it mean to be loyal or to be a true friend? This object lesson may be presented anytime you are focusing on the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, what true friendship means.

IT ALWAYS WORKS

Character Quality: Loyalty

Bible Verse: Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times.”

Materials

Ball, pieces of foam, other small objects to throw up into the air.

Lesson Procedure

1. Throw a ball up in the air and catch it several times. Comment to the group, “It seems to work every single time. Yes, every single time I throw the ball up, it always comes down. I wonder if it works that way for everybody.”
2. Have several children throw the ball up. The same identical thing happens to each of them – the ball always comes down no matter how high it is thrown.
3. Toss the piece of foam. The same thing happens. Incredible! Have several children try tossing the foam in the air. The same thing happens to them.
4. Tell the children that this is called “gravity” – a very important word. It means that whatever is thrown up on earth will always come down. God made gravity and that’s the way it works.
5. The children practice throwing the objects in the air and saying the word “gravity.”
6. Then tell them, “Just as you can count on gravity because God made it, you can know that no matter what happens, God will always love you. You must always remember that God loved you so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins. If you ask Jesus to forgive you, He will, and He will always stay with you and never, ever leave. Then someday you will be in heaven with Jesus. Jesus in our very best Friend. He always loves us, and He wants us to love others too.”
7. Then pray and ask the Lord to give each one in the class more love for Him and more love for each other.

Did the children get it?  Ask these questions

Recall “What did we throw up into the air?” Balls, foam, etc.

Comprehension  “ Why did the balls always come back down?”  Because of gravity. Whatever is thrown up on earth comes back down because God made it that way.

Application  “When does God love you?”  (Children share.  Emphasize that God ALWAYS loves you even if God does not like some of the things you do.  That’s why He sent Jesus. . . .)

Evaluation “ If you give your life to Jesus, will He be your loyal friend?  Will He always be with you?”  YES!