Kids often hear that we are made in the image of God. But they’re not sure what that means. The fact is, one of the perks of having fathers is knowing a little bit more about what God is like! In the lesson below, a light bulb decorated in sharpie will help kids understand how they can trust God by trusting the men who follow him and worship him—because they have a lot in common!
Household Object:
- light bulb, white
Other Materials:
- Lamp
- Outlet
- Extension cord (if needed)
- Sharpie pen
Preparation:
You might practice drawing on another light bulb so that you won’t be doing it for the first time in front of an audience. It is fun! No, the bulb will not throw shadows on the wall. It just looks good lit! It is easier if you draw and your assistant reads, or vice versa.
So, draw a dad’s face on the light bulb before class. Have the sharpie, lamp and
extension cord, if needed, beside you.
Lesson:
How many of you love your dads? What are some of the cool things that dads do for us? Let kids answer.
Did you know the Bible says that your parents are made in the image of God? God did not give us parents because they are perfect. They make mistakes like all of human kind. However, God made them to share certain qualities with them. And it is through knowing what dads are like that we can know more about what God is like. On Father’s Day, let’s look at some of the ways that God is like your dad.
Pick up the light bulb and the sharpie.
Genesis 1:26 goes like this: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
What does it mean to be made in God’s image?? Let them try to answer.
Here are some things that your dads share in common with God.
Draw a heart on the light bulb, decorating it freehand.
First, God is love. He loves his children. When your dads look at you in a loving way, or are thrilled with little things you do, or come in to kiss you while you’re asleep… these are the same as the way God feels about you.
He adores you, and dads help us know that.
Second, God is leadership. Draw the word “leader” on the light bulb and decorate it freehand. God is the ultimate leader and he gave dads lots of those skills.
When dad tells you to mind your mother or do your chores or behave like a Christian…these are things that God wants him to tell you, because he feels the same way!
Third, God is patient. Draw the word “patient” on the light bulb and decorate it freehand. Have you ever seen your dads get mad? Have you ever seen them almost explode because you were misbehaving, and he remembered to hold back? God is like that. He is very patient. He does not like to explode on his children. But. If kids are being dangerous, to themselves or others, God can get angry. If he sees someone picked on in school, he can get angry at the bullies.
Do not be that person! Just like dads can ground kids or find other punishments, God will defend those who are mistreated and set things right with the meanies. Listen to your dad, and don’t be a meanie.
Fourth…God likes to have fun! Draw the word “fun” on the light bulb and decorate it. Does your dad like to play basketball with you? Or baseball? Or throw the Frisbee? Does he like to take the dog to the beach and splash in the water with him? What does your dad do for fun? Let them join in.
God loves a good time. He works hard, but he enjoys his work and downtime. Some Jewish traditions say that when God made the animals he smiled and laughed aloud because it was so much fun! Just like God, your dad enjoys laughter and joy and being with his children.
Finally… God is spirit. Draw the word “spirit” on the light bulb and decorate it freehand. Have you ever talked to your dad about heaven or God’s presence in our lives, or anything spiritual? You will see that dads who have embraced Jesus instinctively understand that we are not alone in the universe. They call on God. They pray to God and worship God. They have a relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit.
That’s what makes most dads the light of our lives. Be careful: the Sharpie ink can still smudge at this point. Screw the lightbulb into the lamp, touching it down near the bottom. Then plug in the lamp and light up the room.
The difference between a good dad and a great Christian dad is that the second can light up with the love of Jesus! On Father’s Day, let’s thank God for giving us dads and for letting us get to know about our heavenly father better by enjoying our earthly fathers!