Firstfruits of God’s creatures — Weekly Christian ed lesson

Lesson background

“Think before you speak.” “Count to 10 before you respond in anger.” These nuggets of advice are often spoken as if they are simple to follow. However, they are much easier said than done! We know we are made in the image of God. As such, we have the potential to connect with one another as God connects with us — with unconditional love, curiosity and compassion. Still, we struggle to consistently do so. In this lesson, children will explore James 1:17-20 and will practice and wonder about how they might listen more than they speak and develop the ability to anger slowly.

What you’ll need:

• A Bible
• Scrap sheets of paper, pens or pencils, a timer, phone or stereo to play music
• Being a Good Listener: “The Listening Game” video and a computer with Internet access connected to a data projector or TV (optional)
• Managing Anger: Access to “Kids’ Guide to Relaxation: Understanding Anger.” (optional)

Starting out

Greet the children as they arrive.

Hand each child a scrap sheet of paper and a pen or pencil. Tell them that you will read off a list of five items. They should listen while you read the list, but they should not write. When you say “go,” they will have 30 seconds to write down as many of the items as they can remember.

Read aloud this list: APPLE, CAR, SHOES, MOON, RAIN. Set the timer for 30 seconds. Pause for 10 seconds and then say “go.” When the timer goes off, have the children read their answers aloud. Notice how many were able to remember all five items. Ask the children if the task was easy or hard.

Prepare to lead another round of the game. Before you begin reading the list, turn on some music using the stereo or your phone. Make sure the music is loud enough for it to be difficult for the children to hear your voice over it.

Read aloud this list: BOX, BLOCK, AIRPLANE, FIRE, TREE. Again, set the time for 30 seconds. Pause for 10 seconds and then say “go.” When the timer goes off, have the children read their answers aloud. Ask them if it was easier or harder to remember the list in the first or second round. Have them explain their answers.

Hearing and exploring the story

Prepare to read aloud James 1:17-20. (Note: The lectionary reading includes verses 17-27. We’ve shortened the reading to make it more accessible to children.)

Provide the children with a context for the reading:

• This passage comes from the New Testament letter of James.
• Unlike many of the letters that the apostle Paul wrote, this letter was written to the larger church (all church communities).
• We say that this letter was by James, Jesus’ brother, but it’s not clear if this exact person wrote it. We do know that the writing sounds a lot like James and was written to the type of church communities that existed at the time when it was believed to be written.

Read aloud James 1:17-20.

After reading, ask:

• Who do you think the “Father of lights” is?
• What gifts does God give us?
• What do you think the “first fruits of God’s creatures” are?
• What advice does the author tell us will help our actions “become the kind of first fruits of his creatures”?
• How hard or easy is it to listen more than you speak? Why?
• How hard or easy is it be slow to anger? Why?
• How can listening more than speaking and being slow to anger help the world?

Responding to the story

To help the children connect the story to their own lives and experiences, invite them to engage in one or more of the following activities:

• Being a good listener Gather the materials you’ll need for this activity: “The Listening Game” video and a computer with Internet access connected to a data projector or tv. Ask the children what it means to be a good listener. What do good listeners do? Tell the children they will practice listening through a game. Have them sit on the floor with their legs crossed. Play the video and have the children follow the activities described in it. Debrief after participating in the video. What did you learn? What can you do to keep being a good listener? How can you improve your listening skills?
• Managing anger Gather the materials you’ll need for this activity: “Kids’ Guide to Relaxation: Understanding Anger.” Ask the children to share what makes them angry. Then, ask them how often they get angry. What do they do to keep themselves from becoming angry? Have the children sit on the floor or in comfortable chairs. Tell them that they will be engaging in a meditation where they’ll explore how they might manage their anger. Encourage them to close their eyes (if they are comfortable) or to focus on a spot on the wall or the floor. Read aloud the meditation from “Kids’ Guide to Relaxation: Understanding Anger.” After the meditation, discuss what they learned and how they might use the information in the future.