Class: 8-10 year olds

BIBLICAL REFERENCE

Proverbs 15.13

PURPOSE OF THE LESSON

Teach the children that when someone is happy, they are more beautiful.

VERSE TO MEMORIZE

“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.” (Proverbs 15.13)

INTRODUCTION

You will need a photo (from a magazine) of a person with a happy face and one with a sad face. Paste the pictures on the board or on the wall and say, 'In your opinion, how are these people feeling? Are they happy or sad? (Wait for their participation.) You will probably say they are happy and the other sad. Ask: How did you come to this conclusion? Was it through their face? Today we will learn how we can tell if a person is happy or sad, listen to the story carefully.

RACHEL was a very beautiful girl, with long hair and full of curls. But her beauty was hidden behind her sad face. She lived in a big house with her sister and brother. Sometimes, things would get very hectic for Rachel, as she had many tasks such as studying, playing sports, helping at home and ballet. Who here gets very busy also? Raise your hand!

She was a good kid, polite and friendly, but always sad. Everything was a reason for her to feel sad and angry. If a school friend did not greet her or if she didn’t do well on her ballet classes, she would become sad. When Rachel asked something to her mom and it took a while to be served, the child cried nonstop and remained sad all day. One day Rachel was in her ballet class and at the end of class, Anne, her friend, sat beside her and asked:

- Rachel, I've noticed that you always look sad, and today you really look worse than other days. Why is that?

- Ah! I have so many reasons: My grades in math are low, my mother challenged me and I wanted to look different… I do not like my curly hair.

- Rachel, you are important and special to Jesus just the way you are. He loves you and wants you to be free from this sadness you have.

- But, Anne, everything makes me sad…. Rachel replied

- First, if you study harder and ask God for wisdom, then your grades will improve and your mother will not be angry with you anymore. I was also sad, but I learned in the CBC that Jesus is my best friend and that He is always by my side and who loves me the way I am, then I have no reason to feel sad!

At that time, Anne was teaching something very important to Rachel. Do you know what happened? Rachel also said that she wanted to have Jesus in her heart, and would like to go to the CBC too. The next day, they met and went together to the church. From that day on, Rachel and her entire family accepted Jesus and she became a happy girl.

In the book of Proverbs it is written that when you have a cheerful heart, it shows in your face, but when the heart is sad, the person also looks sad. Like Rachel, many people have a sad heart, but when you have Jesus inside you, then everyone can see the joy in your face. Who wants the joy of Jesus in your heart raise your hands. Amen!

FUN CHAT

Write the verse of the week on the board before the class begins. If you do not have a board, write parts of it on sheets of paper and stick them to a table (so the class may read it) and do not forget to write the Bible reference. Take to the class illustrations or pictures (magazines) of beggars asking for money, sick people, children playing happily, family gathered for lunch, people laughing and a child playing with its pet.

Stick (in the order that is above) each illustration or photo on a sheet of paper. Give a title to each illustration, for example: Beggars asking for coins. Then staple the sheets in the same order, etc

Start by saying: Children, today I brought you some pictures and illustrations to show you. Educator, display the pictures and read the title of the first sheet. Observe the reaction of children. Go to the other sheet and do the same.

On the sheets where the children are playing happily, read the title with a cheerful expression and the do the same with the following sheets. Note that the children change their reaction and their faces will be happy too. Then conclude by saying: Kids, I have observed that during the presentation of the photos, many showed a serious face, and sad sometimes when I showed you the pictures. But when I showed you the pictures of happy people you also looked happy. Do you know why that happened? (Wait for their participation.) Because without realizing we show in our faces if we are happy or sad about something, as it says in this week's verse: "A cheerful heart beautifies the face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken." (Proverbs 15.13)

Little friends, we must ask God to put joy in our hearts every day, because he gets very happy when he sees his children happy. Now we are going to memorize the verse of the week. Educator, memorize the verse of the week as follows:

1. Read the verse of the week (the one that you have written on the sheet), explaining the difficult words and the meaning of the verse. 2. Ask them to close their eyes, (if it is written on the blackboard or on the

sheets), remove some words from the verse and get them to complete the missing words. Repeat the verse again with the class.

ACTIVITIES

SUNDAY

Free drawing. Distribute sheets of paper and ask them to draw what are the things that make them happy. At the end of the activity, ask them to explain the drawing.

Happy Potato. Draw a happy face on a potato and take it to the class. Start by saying: Today we learned that when we are happy, our face looks more beautiful and that sadness leaves a person looking miserable. So we must not become sad, because Jesus lives in our hearts, and He is the reason for our joy. Do you understand? Educators make a circle with the children and then place a music CD. While the music is playing, the Potato must be passed from hand to hand. Stop the music suddenly, and the child who is holding the potato at that instant must leave the game.

FRIDAY

Poster. For this activity, you will need some magazines and newspapers, scissors, glue and cardboard. Write as title on the cardboard: Happy People. Ask the kids to choose photos of people smiling in various situations, such as a family, children playing, people in the church, parties etc. Educators, after this, cut the selected photos and ask to the kids to glue them on the poster. Once the poster is ready, talk to the class about why people look sad or happy, stressing that what beautifies their faces is the joy that only Jesus can give.