OBJECT LESSON GOAL:
Teaches the need to control what we say, because it is not easy to you’re hurting words back.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Can of spray whip cream and a clear glass bowl.
MESSAGE:
Gossip is something that is very easy to do, very natural for people to do, but something we should do our best to avoid. In the book of Matthew, chapter 12 verse 36, it says that every idle word that people speak, they will have to explain on the day of judgment. Idle word is another way of saying “gossip.” I think I’ve got a way to show what I mean. I will need a volunteer. (Bring someone up who will be able to operate the spray whipped cream can) Okay, I want you to be our gossip spreader today, and to do that lets use this. (Bring out the spray can and clear glass bowl)
Now here is what I’m going to do. I’m going to tell you something that I really don’t want you telling anyone else, but then you can’t help yourself and you spread the gossip around by spraying some whipped cream into the bowl.
I think Mary Mary Quite Contrary is going to be going to another school because she is getting bad grades. (Wait for the helper to spray some whipped cream into the bowl) Did you know that Little Jack Horner broke the pie dish and hid it away so no one could find it? (Wait for helper to spray some more whipped cream)
(Name five or six more gossip items, some that may be more relevant to the group, but it is best not to use real names or especially not the names of people in your group since you really don’t want to start any rumors with your anti-rumor message. Using names from Nursery Rhymes or other cartoon characters tends to work best)
(To helper) Okay, now you’ve just found out that what you said wasn’t true, or that you found out that what you said hurt someone, and now you feel bad and want to take it back. So here is what I need you to do, put the whipped cream back into the can. (Wait for response of the helper to imply they can’t do it) What do you mean you can’t do it? You sure let it come out easy enough, but you are saying that once it is out, its out and you can’t “take it back?”
You know while that is true with whipped cream from a can, it is also true when we spread gossip. The damage is done. We really can’t take it back. We can certainly tell the person we are sorry, but it is far better to have never spread the gossip in the first place. Let’s give our helper a hand for helping us learn about gossip.
There is a story about a foolish young boy who had said some pretty bad things about a wise old man in their town. When the foolish young boy realized what he had done was wrong, he went to see the wise old man and said, “I’m sorry. What can I do to make up for what I’ve done?” The wise old man smiled at the foolish young boy and said, “I have two tasks for you to do. Do the first and then come back and I’ll tell you the second.” The young boy agreed. So the wise old man gave the boy a pillow filled with feathers. “Take this pillow, go to the top of the mountain, open it up and let all the feathers fly out of it.” So the foolish young boy did just that, he went to the top of the mountain, opened up the pillow and let all the feathers fly. He then returned to the wise old man. “I’ve done the first task, now what is the second?” The wise old man smiled knowing the next part was going to be impossible, but would teach the foolish young boy an important lesson about spreading rumors. “Go and gather up all the feathers.”
You see when we spread gossip, we don’t know where it goes, because others hear it and tell others, who tell others, who tell others, and it is probably as impossible to make it right as gathering up all the feathers or (Pick up glass bowl with whipped cream in it) putting whipped cream back into the can.
So before you do it, remember our verse “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” So don’t speak it in the first place. You really can’t “take it back.”