THEME: What we say can hurt people.
BIBLE PASSAGE: James 3: 1-12 (selected lines) "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts."
PROMPTS: A couple of big sticks and a couple throwing size stones.
PRESENTATION:
Have you ever heard one of your friends say this: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" I bet many of you have heard someone say this.
I have some sticks and stones here with me and I image that if someone hit me with this stick I would say "ouch!" Or if someone threw a rock like this at me and it bonked me on the head I would end up crying because it hurts. Sticks and stones really could break some of my bones. In fact, there are stories in the Bible where people were stoned to death for doing bad things.
However, the other part of that slogan, "but words can never hurt me," makes me wonder if that part of the saying is wrong. In our Bible verse from James chapter 3, one of the verses says, "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider that a great forest is set on fire by a small spark."
I heard a poem once about little sparks starting fires and it goes like this: "one boy, one park, one match, one spark, no park." Just like something as small as a spark from a match can burn down a whole forest or a park, something we say with our little tongue can cause great pain just like sticks and stones.
What if someone said these words, "I don't like you!" Ouch, it makes us feel really bad. Then think about what happens when something like this gets repeated many times. Billy said that Sally said that Johnny said that Mary said that so and so said.... and pretty soon it sounds like no one likes the person. Ouch, that would really hurt!" Just like a spark starts a big fire, hurtful words spread like a wildfire.
Another part of our Bible verses says, "out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be." So what should we say we we talk about other people? It is very simple, say what is good and pleasing to God. That is the very best kind of talk there is anywhere.
BIBLE PASSAGE: James 3: 1-12 (selected lines) "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts."
PROMPTS: A couple of big sticks and a couple throwing size stones.
PRESENTATION:
Have you ever heard one of your friends say this: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" I bet many of you have heard someone say this.
I have some sticks and stones here with me and I image that if someone hit me with this stick I would say "ouch!" Or if someone threw a rock like this at me and it bonked me on the head I would end up crying because it hurts. Sticks and stones really could break some of my bones. In fact, there are stories in the Bible where people were stoned to death for doing bad things.
However, the other part of that slogan, "but words can never hurt me," makes me wonder if that part of the saying is wrong. In our Bible verse from James chapter 3, one of the verses says, "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider that a great forest is set on fire by a small spark."
I heard a poem once about little sparks starting fires and it goes like this: "one boy, one park, one match, one spark, no park." Just like something as small as a spark from a match can burn down a whole forest or a park, something we say with our little tongue can cause great pain just like sticks and stones.
What if someone said these words, "I don't like you!" Ouch, it makes us feel really bad. Then think about what happens when something like this gets repeated many times. Billy said that Sally said that Johnny said that Mary said that so and so said.... and pretty soon it sounds like no one likes the person. Ouch, that would really hurt!" Just like a spark starts a big fire, hurtful words spread like a wildfire.
Another part of our Bible verses says, "out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be." So what should we say we we talk about other people? It is very simple, say what is good and pleasing to God. That is the very best kind of talk there is anywhere.