Time
15 minutes
Description
This object lesson helps children (and adults) understand that sometimes we don’t give people a fair chance and that it’s important to look at the good things about people, too.
Materials
PowerPoint file, “Where You Focus.ppt,.” a projector and a screen or blank wall. (This PowerPoint is available on the “Downloads” page.”
Preparation
Set up projector and load file.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
· “I’m going to show you a magic trick.”
· “On the next slide, there will be 8 cards.” (Show slide 2.)
· “I want you to pick one and memorize it… Have you memorized it?” (Show slide 3).
· “O.K., on the next slide your card is going to be turned face down.”
· “Was I right?” (Show slide 4.)
· “Pretty impressive, huh? Want to do it again?” (Show slide 5.)
· “OK, same thing – pick a card on the next slide and memorize it.” (Show slide 6.)
· “Got it?” (Show slide 7.)
· “On the next slide, it will be turned upside down.” (Show slide 8.)
· “I did it again, didn’t I?” (Show slide 9.)
· “Now a magician’s not supposed to reveal his secrets, but I think I’ll make an exception this time.”
· “How many of you want to know how I did that?”
· “Ok, watch this!” (Show slide 10, and ask one child to pick a card and tell you what it is. Flip to slide 11.)
· “Do you see it? Nope, not there – maybe it’s the upside down one.”
· “Let’s try again.” (Flip back to slide 10.)
· “Pick a different card this time, and tell me what it is.” (Show slide 10.)
· “Not there. Hmmm… We can’t have two cards turned down.”
· “Can anyone figure out how I did it?”
· “Right! None of the cards are the same.”
· “I know, it’s a dirty trick, but I showed it to you to make an important point.”
· “When you focus on just one thing, you usually miss everything around it.”
· “Sometimes, we do this with people. We focus on just one part about them and miss all the other stuff.” (For an example, pick on an adult or yourself.
· “If I focus on ______’s big nose, I might miss that he’s really funny.”
· “Or, if I focus on his ______, I might miss that he’s really smart.”
· “Does this ever happen to you?”
· “Do people notice just one thing and miss the rest?”
· “That hurts sometimes, doesn’t it?”
· “And it doesn’t feel very fair.”
· “You’ve got so many wonderful things about you.”
· “Well, God never sees just one thing about you!”
· “He always sees all the wonderful things.”
· “He sees the best in you and loves you just like you are.”
· “Can we make an agreement?”
· “Touch your neighbor and say, ‘I’m not going to focus on the bad stuff.’”
· “Touch your other neighbor and say, ‘I’m going to focus on the good stuff.’”
Teach Them 