The Wise Man and the Foolish Man Action Song

After telling the Bible story of the two builders from Matthew 7:24-27, read I Corinthians 10:4. Say, "Jesus said, 'People who hear what I say and obey Me are like the wise builder. When problems come, they will be safe. But people who hear me without obeying what I say are like the foolish man. When problems come, they will be in BIG trouble.'"

"When we obey Jesus, we are like the wise builder. Many times in the Bible Jesus is called our Rock. This means that those who love and obey Jesus will be kept safe. He is our 'solid foundation.'"

"Some people think they are as safe as a house built on a rock, just because they hear Jesus' words and study about Him in Sunday school or Bible club. But Jesus said that in order to be safe we must obey His Words as well as listen to them."

Sing the following song with your students to the tune of THIS OLD MAN:
     This wise man, he built well (pretend to hammer)
He built well upon a rock;
     When the rains came down
And the floods came up (lower and then raise hands),
     This man's house stood firm and strong.

Foolish man, he built wrong;
    He built strong upon the sand (pretend to hammer);
When the rains came down

     And the floods came up (lower and then raise hands),

This man's house came tumbling down (fall down).
For another fun activity to reinforce this Bible story, try this action lesson, The Wise and Foolish Builders.

Why Worry?

Matthew 6:25-34 is one of the most frequently quoted Scripture passages in discussions about money and work. Sadly, there are some who use this text to imply that Jesus was against earning money and that He considered work a distraction from things that really matter. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A careful examination of these verses reveals that Jesus was condemning worry, not work. He called us to make God the object of our faith, for He is the one who ultimately supplies our physical, material, and spiritual needs. The following are seven reasons why we should not worry:

• The same God who created life in us can be trusted with the details of our life (verse 25).
• Worrying about the future impedes our efforts for today (verse 26).
• Worrying is more harmful than helpful (verse 27)
• God does not ignore those who depend on Him (verses 28-30)
• Worrying shows a lack of faith in understanding of God and His love for us. (verses 31-32).
• Worrying keeps us from real challenges God wants us to tackle (verse 33).
• Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry (verse 34)

These are concepts we can start to instill in our youngest students as they watch us live them out in our own lives. So when we're tempted to worry, we can turn to God's Word instead!

Think of Yourself As a Tour Guide

Think of yourself as a tour guide instead of just a teacher. Now picture your students as your tour group. You are actually life's tour guide for the children in your care. Your task is to plan the itinerary, show the children the places of learning, and then let them explore and discover God's Word for themselves. As you open Biblical places, scenes, people, and adventures, you can remind them that these are true stories from God's Word, the Bible. Help your older students understand that God's Word is not a fairy tale.

Hold your open Bible when you say a memory verse or tell a Bible story. Say, "This is a true story (or lesson or adventure) from God's Word, the Bible." Point out the rich history of the places you mention. Use maps, charts, and visuals to help your students picture the people, houses, clothing, food, climate, and landscape.

Talk with your students like a tour guide. For example, while finger painting or sculpting clay, talk about the color and texture of the materials. Describe what you and the children are experiencing. Let your students share their own descriptions. Linking language with sight, sound, and activities teaches important pre-reading skills to your preschoolers and helps reach students of all ages who learn in different ways. In fact, the more senses students use to experience a lesson, the more likely they are to remember the lesson long after it's over.

(If you're looking for Bible lesson ideas, visit ChristianEdWarehouse for suggestions.)