Each Thursday evening we gather together for Family
Home Evening (FHE). Last night it was my turn to
present the lesson. Since I have been focusing on
"Choosing the Right", I chose to focus on choices and
consequences.
After reviewing a few basic principles we've recently
discussed, we talked about how every day we have
choices to make and each choice has a consequence.
After getting their feedback about what a consequence
was, I threw out several scenarios and asked what
the consequence might be--good or bad:
"If you choose not to eat---you will be hungry"
"If you choose not to wear a coat, hat and gloves
when it is cold and snowy outside---your ears and
hands will freeze and you will get sick."
"If you use sunscreen when it is hot and sunny
outside---you will avoid a sunburn and pain."
Also tried to teach them that some consequences
come quickly after you make a choice. Sometimes
you may not recognize a consequence until long
after you make the choice. But, eventually there is
always a consequence.
Then I passed out a blank piece of paper to each
one and told them we were going to draw a
picture about a wise man and a foolish man as I
read the scripture to them.
(Matt. 7:24-27)
First they were to draw a wise man, then the house
he built upon a rock. For this picture they used
permanent markers:
Next I read about the foolish man who built his house
upon the sand. Washable markers were used for
this picture:
Then we all gathered around the sink and watched
what happened to the houses when the rain descended
and the floods came and the winds blew and beat
upon the houses.
Using a spray bottle, I sprayed water on the picture
of the wise man's house ....
.... and of course, nothing happened! The house
remained!
Water was then sprayed on the foolish man's house ....
....and the rains, floods, and winds came and
washed his house away:
They LOVED This!
I believe they got the message! And, now hopefully
they will remember the lesson of the wise man and
the foolish man and the consequences of their choices
in building their homes upon a rock or upon the sand,
and that they will make good choices as they grow.