Object lessons are a fantastic technique for grabbing your classes attention, and helping them understand and internalize some of the more “abstract” concepts in the Bible.
In case you’re not familiar with object lessons or haven’t used them before, the concept is pretty straightforward.
Basically, you use a familiar, everyday item to illustrate an important Biblical truth to your students.
Remember Jesus with the fish and loaves? The mustard seed? The inscription on the coin? The point He made with each object?
We’re doing the same thing today, using a pair of sneakers and a bag of rocks.
Let’s get started!
Begin by telling your students: While going barefoot is probably most comfortable, our feet are vulnerable to accidents. We, like our feet, need protection too. In our spiritual walk, we need to guard our “souls.”
Related Scriptures
Objects Needed
- Pair of Sneakers
- A Small Bag of Stones or Rocks
Teacher’s Script
I love summer. One of the reasons I love summer best is that I like to go around in my bare feet.
Take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in your socks.
Everyone take off your shoes.
Let kids take off shoes and be in their socks.
Doesn’t that feel the best? What’s the first thing we do when we walk in the house after school usually?
Your student’s should respond: “Take off your shoes.”
We like being comfortable. We’d like to spend our entire lives being comfortable, wouldn’t we? Who would want to be uncomfortable? Therefore, we ought to never wear shoes. Or if it’s cold we ought to wear only socks. The problem is…
Open the bag of stones and toss them onto the floor.
Life brings things our way that are painful or even dangerous.
Try to walk on the rocks.
Ouch! That really hurts! Our “soles”…
Point to the bottom of your foot and spell, S-O-L-E-S,
… are a lot like our “souls!”
Put a hand to your heart and spell S-O-U-L-S.
In our spiritual walk, we need to guard our “souls.” Point to your chest. Jesus said to God in John 17:15, “My prayer is not that you take your servants out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
Put on your sneakers and now walk around on the rocks.
Psalm 91 shows us all the great things about God’s protection of our souls. It says in verses 9 thru 12, “If you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near you. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
As you step on stones in your sneakers, say”¦
This stone stands for a mean kid in school. With God’s protection, he can’t hurt my feelings too badly.
This stone stands for temptation. A kid I’m with decides to bully somebody else, but I’m not tempted because God protects my soul.
This stone stands for pride. I want to feel bigger and better about myself, and I could put down others to make myself look bigger, but God is protecting my heart, and I remember “Pride cometh before the fall.”
This stone is disappointment. I tried out for a team and didn’t make it on. God helps me have the determination to try again”¦
Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” God protects our souls like a good pair of shoes. And His word will always show us how!
How To Engage Your Students With Outstanding Object Lessons
If you enjoyed this activity and would like to see more, please have a look at our best-selling resource – “Outstanding Object Lessons.”
You’ll get 28 easy object lessons that are specifically designed for illustrating core Biblical truths. They’re memorable, simple to execute, and best of all- you’ve already got all the materials you need lying around the house!
For example, mittens, hats and snow wear represent “the whole armor of God.” An extension cord is the power of the Holy Spirit that keeps us “plugged in” to our Father. Each lesson includes step by step teaching script, containing the exact words you can use to drive the meaning of the lesson home to your students. Click here to watch a free object lesson called “Fizzy Faith.”