Rebecca S. Ramsey's Blog, page 4
January 8, 2024
Pants or No Pants?
“Daniel has a surprise,” Sarah told me on the phone. “Want to tell Lala?” she asked him.“YES!” Daniel squealed.
There was much commotion–phone yanking and running around. And then quiet.
“Um…Lala?” he whispered, “I don’t know what it is.”
Sarah gave him a hint. Daniel burst out giggling.
“What is it?” I said. “You’ve got to tell me! I’m ready!”
“Okay,” Daniel cackled, struggling to get words out through all the hilarity. “LALA, I’M WEARING TWO PANTS! ON MY LEGS!”
It turns out that Daniel had faced some trials that morning. When it was almost time to leave for church, his parents questioned the outfit he’d picked out. Can you believe it?! IT WAS A PERFECT OUTFIT! WITH PERFECT SHORTS! Shorts that Daniel LOVES. Shorts that Daniel treasures.
But it was 43 degrees outside.
There were discussions. I’m guessing about weather. Seasons. What one wears in different times of the year so that one does not get frostbite or start sobbing in the parking lot because the wind is so cold.
There might have even been bargaining. Cajoling. Demanding. I don’t know–I wasn’t there. I’m just thinking about my own parenting, back when I expected my kids to do what I say when I said it. When I spent way too much time and energy and angst thinking about how to control them.
Sarah had a different idea. Daniel could wear his shorts. Sure! No problem!
He’d just need to wear long pants over them.
My daughter is a genius.
Everybody got what they wanted–without any tears. Why fight over dumb stuff?
It brought me back to a two word mantra I’ve been teaching myself for years now. It’s useful in all sorts of situations. If no one’s getting hurt, Let them.
My kids are grown. The only one I’m in charge of is me!
(I can always put on pants when necessary.)
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January 1, 2024
Need a Mascot for 2024? Share Mine!
Happy New Year, friends!
A couple of weeks ago, I was rushing around, doing some late Christmas shopping when something weird happened.
A little imp jumped in my basket and begged me to take him home.
See him there?
I was supposed to be shopping for other people–not me! Besides, what on on earth did I need with an old ceramic Humpty Dumpty?
I didn’t know it then, but HE’S MY PERFECT MASCOT FOR 2024!
Okay, before I explain why you should make him yours too, I should be honest here. He didn’t jump in my basket–I didn’t even have a basket. I picked him up and held him to my heart like a long lost friend, because we’d fallen in love (it was probably just me) back in August, when my friend Ryan offered him in one of her Instagram sales. (If you love cool, retro stuff of all kinds, check out @greystreetmarket on Instagram! Or see more of her stuff in person at Artifacts in Greenville SC.) I’d scrolled on, trying my best to ignore him because I have enough junk. But there he was on her table at Artifacts, waiting for me.
I brought Humpty home and sat him on a pedestal above my coffee grinder. That way I’d get to see him all the time.
What did he have to say to me? Why was I drawn to him so? Was it the rhyme–you know, how he sat on a wall and had a great fall? He wasn’t exactly inspiring. An egg, smashed on the courtyard, not able to be put back together again, even with all that help from royalty.
But the more I thought about him –and the more coffee I drank– the more I understood his story.
I don’t do resolutions, really, but I do reflect on the years past and set goals for the future, and one thing I want to do more of in 2024 is to keep getting off the wall where it’s safe and quiet and be my whole self–who I’m made to be. Even if I come across as silly or weird.
Humpty reminds me to let myself fall! Break myself wide open! Dare to do what I feel called to do, even if it makes me so unrecognizable that people wrinkle their faces and ask, “What happened to her?”
I could sit on the wall, looking round and shiny, but there are things I want to try! And if I end up broken into a million zillion pieces, that’s okay. Broken people are my favorite.
So, today I’m celebrating Humpty Dumpty, my Official Mascot of 2024. I even made him a fancy headdress for the occasion.
See? If he didn’t have that big hole in his head, he couldn’t wear it!
Happy 2024, friends! I wish you much JOY, all year long!
Love, Becky
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January 8, 2023
Retirement Stinks? A Tale of a Stink Bug and the ER
Around 3 am on Friday morning, a stink bug who’d been buzzing around our bedroom got suddenly quiet.
Usually I’m not horrified by the occasional stink bug that wanders into my house. As bugs go, they’re not so bad. Their bodies look like small medieval shields with tiny arms and legs, and they’re easy to outsmart since they don’t crawl very fast. A stink bug will wait patiently for you to go get a tissue or a paper towel to usher them back outside where they belong. If I have to have a bug in my house, I prefer a passive one like a stink bug or a ladybug. I didn’t even know stink bugs could fly until Friday.
Normally if there’s a bug in my room, I’ll hop out of bed, find it and take it back to the great outdoors. But since I had just returned from eight hours in the emergency room, thanks to a fall while walking my dog, (I finally gave up when I learned I had at least 3 more hours to go) I wasn’t willing to crawl out of bed for a bug. My ribs hurt. I’d deal with it in the morning.
And then I felt a twitching in my hair.
IN MY HAIR.
No.
I have had unpleasant bedtime hair invasions before.
When you take off your clothes and put on your pajamas and snuggle into your bed, the holy sanctuary of your home, completely vulnerable, eyes closed, a twitch in your hair is not welcome. Neither is a chipmunk who suddenly runs across your bed and gets tangled in your hair, all because your cat brought it in when you weren’t home and forgot about it. I’m still trying to get over that.
Maybe it’s not in my hair at all. It was probably my imagination, revved up by the stressful hours spent among an odd mix of terribly sick people and strangely chatty people, wheeling themselves around the room as if we were at a cocktail party. My brain was probably still on high alert, afraid that the lady in house slippers who was high as a kite, having polite conversations with invisible people and yelling at real people was about to sit down beside me.
It twitched again.
I flicked my hand through my hair and something thwacked the floor! A fog of cilantro fumes settled over my head and pillow.
I asked myself questions. Why did the stink bug choose to visit me? And why then, while I was trying to not breathe weird, trying to keep my rib from hurting?
Falling was so dumb. But the sun had been so bright that I had to be out in it. After a week of rain and gray skies, the light almost hurt my eyes. We’d had such hard rain that the water had carried our newly sodded grass across the yard, sliding it into grass cinnamon rolls piled up by the creek.
It was my second dog walk of the day. Look at me! I’d thought. As soon as I get home, I’ll check off another WALK THE DOG block in my bullet journal. Since my retirement from my work at church, I love checking things off, being productive. I’m trying to make good use of my time, so I have blocks for all I want to do and delight in filling them in–taking walks, working out with weights, making something, writing something, studying novels, studying writing craft books…
I was so in love with the sun and the sky and my ability to take two walks in one day that I didn’t notice the uneven sidewalk in front of me. Suddenly I was flying through the air, my phone lifting out of my back pocket, the leash dropping, Rosie looking confused as I soared towards her.
This will hurt, I thought. It did.
So why had the stink bug come to me? What was he trying to do? What had he come to say? What would I say back?
“Smash him,” I told Todd from my cilantro fume cloud. “Stomp him.”
“Oh honey,” Todd said, gathering the bug onto a tissue. (I told you they wait.) “I’ll put him outside.”
I laid still on my pillow as he carried him to the window, thinking I wanted to take a shower, wash off the germs from the bug and the ER. But I hurt too much. I was too tired. I’ll shower in the morning. I can smell like taco salad for a night.
I am strong, I thought. I fell but I got back up! I’d walked home! I’d waved at a lady who wanted to pull into her driveway, who craned to take another look at me, probably because of my bleeding palms. I’ve always wished I could be more like Jesus, I laughed to myself, full of adrenaline. He wouldn’t mind the joke.
I turned over, pulling my heavy blankets, groaning over what turns out is just a bruised rib. I’ll shower tomorrow, I thought. It might even be a little bit funny by then.
And it was.
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August 10, 2022
Our Story Schedule for 2022-2023
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May 9, 2022
Knowing Jesus in a New Way 4: Known in the Morning
Welcome to Knowing Jesus in a New Way 4: Known in the Morning.
This week we enjoy yet another goose-bump raising story, that of Jesus’ appearance to seven disciples at the sea of Galilee, as told in John 21:1-24.
There are several different things you may choose to emphasize to the children:
1. The miracle in the boat. The men had caught nothing on their own. But when Jesus was in charge, “they could feel all the fish moving into the nets.” They were shocked to find that the man on the shore was Jesus, sitting by a campfire, cooking fish for their breakfast. With Jesus’ direction, there were fish. Without it, no fish. What does this say to us?
2. Jesus’ words of direction to Peter when Peter said he loved Jesus: “Feed my lambs.” If we do love Jesus, we have our work cut out for us. Our job is to take care of each other. How would Jesus have us do that?
3. All through this story, Peter hasn’t taken his eyes off of Jesus. But as he walks with Jesus, he turns around, sees John following them, and says, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answers with, ”If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” To me, this is Jesus saying, ”Keep your eyes on your own paper!” or don’t worry about others and their relationships to me. Instead, think about your relationship to me.
4. Another thing that strikes me in this story is that Peter so often messes up, right after discovering some profound truth! He promises that he will never deny his Lord, and then denies him three times. He says, Yes I’ll do your will, I’ll feed your sheep…and then gets concerned about what John is doing. Yet Jesus loves and accepts him and even sees him as a leader, as fault-filled as he is. This gives me hope!
Wondering Questions:
1.I wonder what your favorite part of this story is.
2. Jesus tells the men what to do in the boat and they listen and suddenly they start catching fish. I wonder what we can learn from that.
3. I wonder how it felt to sit down for breakfast with Jesus. I wonder what you would have said to Jesus if you were sitting there.
4. Jesus tells Peter if he loves him to feed his lambs. I wonder what this means. I wonder who are the lambs. I wonder what we do to take care of them.
5. When Jesus and Peter are walking together, Peter notices that John is following them. When Peter asks Jesus about what will happen with John, Jesus tells him not to worry about John or others , but to concentrate on following Him. I wonder what we can learn from that.
Idea Starters for the Children’s Make a Gift for God Time
Here’s some ideas to get the kids started thinking about the work they choose to do around this story. 
1. Retell the story through art.
*Could your class make a 3D scene of the story? Could someone build a boat out of clay or pieces of wood? Could someone else make a Jesus figure to sit or stand by a campfire on the shore? You’ll need figures of the other disciples too. Kids could make these out of clothespins or paper. Could you use felt or paper to make the sea and the shore?
Or tell it through a video! Watch three of our girls tell the story, here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExexTHL9PTI
2. Make a Breakfast with Jesus mural/drawing/painting. What it you had been with Peter that morning? Could your kids draw themselves and their friends or family at the breakfast?
Here’s how artist Karen Lucci imagines Jesus cooking breakfast.
How do your children imagine it? Paint or watercolor or draw the scene.
3. Who are Jesus’ Lambs?
Children could draw or make a collage from magazine photos of pictures of Jesus’ lambs (people of all different ages and races)
4. How Do We Feed His Lambs? Kids could draw or make a collage about all the ways we can feed his lambs-ways we help each other.
5. Jesus Loves Me-Jesus shows Peter how much he loves him in this story, in spite of the 3 times he denied him, in spite of anything. The children could draw themselves with Jesus, writing or drawing what Jesus loves about them.
6. Kids could make “Fish stick” bible bookmarks-rectangular pieces of fun foam, with whatever 
scripture you choose. Have decorations on hand-stickers, sequins, markers, etc. Or how about beaded fish?
For more ideas to get the children started, see my Pinterest page, here.
Enjoy the lesson!
Love, Becky
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April 4, 2022
Faces of Easter 6: Remembering Jesus At the Last Supper
Welcome to Faces of Easter 6: Remembering Jesus At the Last Supper. You can also choose to do the same basic lesson but told in a different way,The Synagogue and the Upper Room (Lesson 11 in the yellow book.) Or you can combine the two lessons as you like. I bet the children would really enjoy seeing how the synagogue and the upper room physically unite together to become the church!
What a whirlwind of a story this week’s lesson is! So much happens, and all of it so very important: Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, greeted with palms waving, Jesus teaching in the temple and sharing the parable of the widow’s offering, the temple guards’ plan to take him on Thursday, the last supper in the upper room, Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’ kiss of betrayal and Jesus’ arrest. What an honor, to be able to share this with the children and help them process it.
This is a perfect week to let the children respond to the story by gathering things from the Godly Play materials in the room that they feel help tell the story. I hope you’ll be able to jot these down for me, along with their thinking on this, so that I can share it with the parents. I’ll also have the following wondering questions for you in case that works better for your class, or if you have time to do both:
Wondering Questions:
1. I wonder what part of the story is your favorite.
2. I wonder what part of the story is the most important.
3. I wonder what special message God has for you in this story
I wonder where you are in this story. I wonder what part of this story is about you.Give A Gift To God Time
Here are some ideas to add to your own:
1. Retell the story in sections. The story can be divided into scenes, with children working on different ones in pairs or individually. These can be hung together in your classroom if you like. Scenes would include the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, Jesus teaching in the temple, an illustration of the parable of the widow’s offering, the Last Supper, Jesus praying in the garden, Jesus’ arrest.
2. Act out the last supper.
3. Make more ornaments for your Jesus (Easter) tree. Children could make donkeys or palm branches, representations of the widow’s offering, bread or chalices of wine, praying hands or a praying Jesus, or bags of money, representing the 30 pieces of silver Judas was paid to betray Jesus.
4. Palm art. Here are directions for palm crosses for older children. You can use green ribbon too.
5. See more ideas of Palm Sunday crafts here.
If you’re on Pinterest, find my Last Supper page here for more ideas.
Enjoy! I hope you have a very meaningful Sunday!
Love, Becky
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March 21, 2022
Faces of Easter 4: Remembering Christ’s Desert Experience
Welcome to Faces of Easter 4: Remembering Christ’s Desert Experience.
As we all know (and have lived) children have plenty of experience with temptation. Thankfully they have this sacred story to refer to, both now and as they get older. Temptation never goes away in life, so it’s a great lesson for all of us.
Since there are no wondering questions listed with the script, I’ll have these ready in your rooms. Thanks so much for taking time to document their responses. Having a peek into their thoughts and ideas is such a gift to the parents–and to the rest of us!
Wondering Questions:
Now, some ideas to add to your own to serve as springboards for the children’s response time:
Focus on retelling the story itself:1. Children could draw the three separate scenes. They could do this individually, on a large paper, folded in thirds. Or they could do this as a class, on a large mural on butcher paper. They could make captions, explaining each scene.
2. They could show the desert scene with sand art, using glue and colored sand, as shown here.
3. They could pick one scene to draw (or all three) and paint the drawing with watercolors.
Focus on the idea of temptation and how God can help us deal with it.1. On one side of a drawing or collage of magazine pictures, children could illustrate the different temptations they face at school or at home or at church or sports. (Cheating, disobeying parents, being hurtful to others, eating things that aren’t good for them, etc). On the other side they could show how they resist temptation by asking God for help. Or they could put on that side a verse of scripture or “What would Jesus do?” Some scripture that might be appropriate might include:
James 1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord* has promised to those who love him.
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not rely on your own insight.
Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for theLord God * is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
2. Children could make a What Would Jesus Do bracelet (or a love bracelet) with letter beads and twine, tying knots between each bead to make them stay in place.
6. Children could make ornaments for the Jesus/Easter tree in their Sunday school room. For today’s lesson, this might include hot gluing stones to 
thread to hang, or ornaments of scripture from this lesson.
Enjoy!
Love, Becky
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March 14, 2022
Faces of Easter 3: Remembering Christ’s Baptism and Blessing
Welcome to Faces of Easter III: Remembering Christ’s Baptism and Blessing.
There are so many ways we can go with this lesson. We must focus on the story itself, of course, but we can also give thought to examining the concept of the trinity, recognizing that this moment in Jesus’ life is a beautiful interaction of the father, son, and the holy spirit.
At the end of the storytelling time you could ask the children to gather items to put by the baptism tile, or you could use wondering questions to help them process the story. Here are the ones I’ll have in your rooms:
1. I wonder what your favorite part of this story is.
2. I wonder what you already know about John the Baptist.
3. I wonder how John the Baptist might have felt when Jesus asked him to baptize him.
4. I wonder why Jesus wanted to be baptized, even though he was God’s son?
5. I wonder what people thought when they saw the holy spirit come down toward Jesus. I wonder what they thought when they heard God’s voice say, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”
6. I wonder how it might feel to be baptized.
7. God and the holy spirit gave Jesus a blessing. I wonder what a blessing is. I wonder if you’ve ever been given a blessing and how that felt. I wonder if you’ve ever given anyone else a blessing.
Here are some ideas that might serve as springboards for the children’s own creations:
Retelling the story:
1. Have a small Jesus figure, a small John figure, and a pool (a large bowl of water) and let the children take turns at one table retelling the story and acting it out with the figures.
2. Let the children make their own Jesus and John figures (clothespins?) and their own pool (plastic bowls or recycled containers like Cool Whip size-there may be some in the resource room. If not, you could even use a Solo cup, cut shorter.)
3. I remember a teacher from my own childhood having us clean dirty pennies with water and vinegar, talking about how our sins are washed away in baptism. I’m not sure how I feel about this. If I did that today I would want to add that even after our baptism is done, we still have to ask God daily to forgive us of the mistakes we make.
4. Make a snack to celebrate this special event in Jesus’ life, like our edible locust to the right.
You could make edible bugs to dip in honey as done here, or make trinity muffins as described here.
5. Make ornaments for your Jesus tree.
A. You could always make doves, as shown here or here (I know it’s an owl, but you could make it into a dove,) or here (I love that one.) Or pick up some feathers at the craft store and let the kids think themselves how to make it from the feathers and other materials you have on hand.
B. Another ornament idea is to make a Chrismon-type ornament that celebrates his baptism in particular as shown here(scroll down and see the scallop one.) Or why not use real scallop shells from a craft store and make your own like the one in the link. The kids could hot glue a ribbon to it and figure out how to represent the three drops of water shown in the chrismon–or not! They could put a dove with the shell, or make it however they like!
C. There’s a pretty one out of felt here. Kids could copy it or even better, design their own!http://www.mssscrafts.com/newtestamen...
Examining the Concept of the Trinity.
Since we just enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day, it might be a good time to look at the 3 leaved shamrock as a symbol of the trinity. Here’s an ornament the kids could make out of fun foam here. And there are plenty of other ideas here. Be sure to scroll down to see all the examples.
For more ideas on art response to this story, visit my Pinterest page, here.
Enjoy!
Love, Becky
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February 22, 2022
Jesus Meets a Poor Man and a Rich Man
Welcome to Jesus Meets a Poor Man and a Rich Man, our story about Jesus’ encounter with the blind beggar on the side of the road and then with Zacchaeus. These stories can be found in Luke 18:35-19:9.
I wrote this story script to give the children a Godly Play style lesson in which they could see that both poor and rich people were important to Jesus and greatly needed his healing in their lives.
I’ll include the script below, in case teachers from other churches would like to use it. (Just scroll down to the end of this post.) It’s been exciting for me to see our extra stories be used in churches all over the world! I hope this one works well for everyone.
Ideas for Response Time (Our Make a Gift for God Time!)
Hopefully children will think about the different ways we need God’s healing touch (in our hearts and bodies) as they respond to the story through art. Here are some ideas for you:
Explore the blind beggar’s experience with blindfolds. Try to draw the story blind folded. Then take off your blindfold and examine your work. As you work, think about what it might be like to have lived the blind beggar’s life. How did he show his faith? Why do you think Jesus asked him what he wanted him to do for him? What do you think it would be like to be at the mercy of the giving of others?Explore Zacchaeus’ experience with Jesus through art. Can you make a tree out of paper towel holders or sticks or clay and put Zacchaeus in it? Can you include Jesus in the art? Or maybe represent Jesus eating with Zacchaeus, as he plans to pay those he cheated 4 times more and give half his money to the poor.Make a class mural- half working on the beggar side and half on the Zacchaeus side, both showing Jesus doing healing work.In the last line of the story, Jesus says to Zacchaeus, “You are a true part of God’s family. It’s why I’m here, to find people like you who are lost and bring them back to God’s family where you belong.” What can you make that shows God with God’s family? Who is included in this family?Find more ideas on my Pinterest board, here.
Here’s the script. I hope it works well for you!
While Jesus did his work, healing, preaching, and telling stories, people wanted to meet him. Even as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he knew that his life would be in danger,
Add the cross to the end of the underlay.
he made time for people. He walked along the road and changed people’s lives.
Add the road, unrolling it on the underlay.
There were two people he met that were very different. One man was poor and one was rich.
First Jesus met the poor man.
Add the poor man.
The man was poor because he was blind. The only way he could have the food he needed to live was by sitting by the side of the road, begging people for money. The blind man heard a crowd going by and asked what was happening. The people around him said that it was Jesus from Nazareth going by. The blind man shouted out, Jesus, son of David, please help me!
The people told him to be quiet. But he didn’t. He shouted out louder, “Jesus, son of David, please help me!”
Jesus heard him and stopped walking. Maybe he noticed that even though the man was blind he could see what the crowd didn’t know, that he was the son of David, the Savior! “Bring the man to me.” When they brought him close to Jesus, Jesus said to the blind man, “What would you like for me to do for you?”
“I want to see again,” the man said.
“Go ahead,” Jesus said, “See! Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”
Add the picture of eyes.
It was true! Right that second, the blind man could see. What did he do? He joined the crowd praising God and following Jesus.
Then Jesus met the rich man.
Add the man with the full money bags.
His name was Zacchaeus and he was rich because he was the chief tax collector. As he collected taxes for the government, he took a lot of people’s money just for himself. Zacchaeus who was really excited about the chance to see Jesus, but he had a problem. Zacchaeus was shorter than most people and couldn’t see over their heads. Nobody wanted to help him get a good look because they knew that he was the chief tax collector, the cheater of cheaters. Jesus was coming close. Would he miss his chance? Zacchaeus had an idea.
Zacchaeus saw a sycamore tree ahead where Jesus was going.
Add the tree.
If he climbed that tree, he’d get a good view of Jesus. But only children climbed trees. Would he be willing to look silly? Jesus ran ahead and climbed the tree and waited for Jesus to walk near.
When Jesus got to the tree, he stopped! “Zacchaeus hurry and get down from there. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled down the tree, so thrilled he thought he might burst with happiness. The crowd wasn’t so happy. “Of all people to stay with!” they grumbled. “Why pick such a bad man?”
Zacchaeus could hardly believe it. Later at his house he said, “Master, I’ll give away half of my money to the poor—and if I’ve cheated anyone, I’ll pay them four times more.
Jesus said, “Today your faith has saved you.” Zacchaeus’s heart was healed because of his faith!
Add the heart.
“You are a true part of God’s family. It’s why I’m here, to find people like you who are lost and bring them back to God’s family where you belong.”
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February 14, 2022
Jesus Teaches in the Temple (The Widow’s Mite)
Welcome to Jesus Teaches in the Temple, also known as The Widow’s Mite. It’s based on the scripture found in Luke 20:45-21:4.
This is a beautiful passage in which Jesus gets practical. As followers of The Way, what are we supposed to do? What are we not supposed to do? Jesus draws our attention to a poor widow, whose behavior is a quiet lesson in this very thing – and quite a contrast to the noisy behavior of others. If we’re supposed to be givers like God, what does that behavior look like? Jesus points to the ultimate example.
I’ll include the story script I wrote below, for those of you from other churches who might like to use it. I hope it works well for you. If anyone asks where you got it, please direct them to this site. 
Our Response Time
For our response time, children can express what it means to be a giver- and how to be a giver- however they like. Here are some ideas:
*Make your own giving bags, out of paper or duct tape or paper plates.
*Make a piggy bank for saving your money to give.
*Visit the sanctuary and examine the plates you pass or the giving envelopes.
*Make a mural of all the ways the church can use the money that people give.
*What are other ways we give to God, besides money? Make a list of words or drawings of ways people give to God.
For more ideas, see my Pinterest page for this story, here.
The Story Script: Jesus Teaches in the Temple
While Jesus did his work, healing, preaching, and telling stories, people listened to what he said. Even as Jesus went to Jerusalem, where he knew that his life would be in danger,
Add the cross to the end of the underlay.
Jesus made time for people. He spoke in the temple and changed people’s lives.
Add the temple.
As Jesus taught, many people listened. Some listeners were Jesus’s disciples and some were people who came there to worship. As people listened, Jesus talked about how those who love God are supposed to behave. He showed them what they’re not supposed to do and what they are supposed to do.
“Watch out for the people who are supposed to be experts on God’s Law,” he said.
Add two people to the underlay.
“They like to walk around wearing clothes that look important. And if you go out to the market place, you’ll see them walking around, hoping everybody notices how respected they are. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and to be the guest of honor at fancy dinners.
Add fancy chair.
But they cheat women whose husbands have died and trick them into taking away their homes. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. This will get them into trouble with God.”
Then Jesus stopped talking.
He looked up and saw something happening in the Temple. The disciples and the other listeners looked up too. They wanted to see what Jesus was looking at.
Jesus was watching all the rich people coming close to the offering box. Everyone watched as they put their offerings into the box.
Place offering box on the underlay.
They watched and they listened.
Pour offering into the box.
Place gold empty money bag on underlay.
So much money made such a noise!
Then Jesus watched as a poor widow came close to the offering box. A widow is a woman whose husband had died. Husbands were usually the ones back then who were allowed to earn money, so widows were very poor.
The widow put in her two small copper coins, the smallest coins there were.
Add two small coins to the offering box.
Place burlap empty money bag on underlay.
The widow’s money made hardly any noise at all.
Jesus turned to the disciples and all the people who were listening. “Here’s the truth,” he said. “This widow gave by far the largest offering today. The rich have plenty, and they gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had to live on!”
What a great giver she was!
Jesus knew that people listened to what he said. He knew that some people might get mad at him for saying it, but he wanted to show people how to get closer to God, so he bravely told the truth.
Wondering questions:
I wonder what your favorite part of this story is.I wonder where you are in this story. I wonder what part of this story is about you?I wonder what God is trying to teach us in this story.I wonder what this story says about what God is like.
The post Jesus Teaches in the Temple (The Widow’s Mite) appeared first on beckyramsey.info.
