Praying and preying

/in /by

A careful study of the behaviour of preying animals can teach your children a memorable lesson about the value of self-control. Begin by asking your children to think of a time when an animal would need to use self-control. Use these questions if you wish:

Questions for discussion
  • Do you think only people need to use self-control or do animals have to as well?
  • Can you think of any animals that might need self-control?
  • Would these animals ever catch anything if they just charged in on their prey?
  • Are your parents more likely to give you what you ask for if you have a temper tantrum or if you ask politely?
  • Will your friend play your game if you speak gently and pleasantly or if you yell and whine?
Key concepts

Animals that stalk their prey need to use self-control. Some examples include owls, cats, coyotes, and wolves. If these animals charged their prey before waiting for an opportune time, they would make a ruckus and the prey would have time to get away. In order to catch their prey, these animals must very carefully sneak up on it. Even though they are close enough to attack and they are very hungry, they must use self-control and wait until exactly the right moment to pounce or they will have no dinner. To be good hunters these animals need a combination of self-control and patience.

These animals can set a good example for us. Let your children know when they are tempted to lose self-control in order to get something they want, they need to remember the wolf/cat/coyote. Remind your children, if they expect to receive something they need, they must use self-control. Prior to playtime, tell your children that if they speak politely, it is more likely that someone will play cooperatively with them.

To extend the learning time, pretend you are animals hunting. Take turns being the hunter and the prey. Have fun sneaking up and pouncing on each other. Then have your children role play some situations in life where they also need to use self-control in order to accomplish a task. Close your time with prayer.

Chasing after the wind

/in /by

This activity is based on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 and Psalm 39:6. On a windy day, go outside and ask your kids to try and catch the wind. Take nets, buckets, a kite and the questions for discussion with you. After you have tried to catch the wind, enjoy spending some time playing with the wind using the kite instead. Thank God for His gift of the joy in being physically active. Use the questions for discussion while you are enjoying the outdoors or after you get back.

Questions for discussion
  • Can you feel the wind?
  • Can you smell the wind?
  • Can you taste the wind?
  • Can you hear the wind?
  • Is the wind real?
  • How come you cannot catch it?
  • Is there anything that you want that is like chasing the wind?
Relevant Scripture

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11.

Psalm 39:6 “Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.”

Grafting branches

/in /by

Take a book out of your local library or talk with your children about how branches are grafted. Explain that in nature, a tree trunk will accept and nourish the branch of another tree. For example, a tree that grows red apples only will allow a tree branch from another apple tree to grow from its trunk, together with its own branches.

In Romans 11:17-24 we read about how God’s kingdom is like a tree. Some branches were broken off to make room for others. The branches that were broken off represent the people who did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. God’s plan is that anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God can become part of His family (John 1:12). The Bible also tells us that we must accept each other just as He accepts us and whoever loves God must also love his brother (Romans 15:7, 1 John 4:19-21).

Read the verses cited in the previous paragraph, then review the following questions to stimulate further conversation.

Questions for discussion
  • Did we deserve to be grafted into God’s family tree?
  • Have you ever been tempted to reject someone?
  • What does God expect you to do?
Relevant Scripture

John 1:12 “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

1 John 4:19-21 “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

Courageous critters

/in /by

Some small animals are known for being particularly courageous, especially mammals in the Mustelidae, the weasel family. The wolverine, the grison and the badger are particularly courageous when they are threatened, facing their enemies with fearlessness. They simply won’t back down, even when threatened by a much larger animal! Despite their reputation for being fierce, these animals would not go out of their way to harm a person. Like most wild animals, they choose to avoid people. People are a much larger threat to these animals than these creatures are to humans.

Study any of the courageous creatures listed below in depth, or simply share a few facts with your kids to encourage them to be similarly tenacious in adverse circumstances. As you study these courageous animals, use their approach to problems as an object lesson on dealing with Satan. Other animals you may wish to study include the polecat, sable, fisher, marten, weasel, ferret, mink and stoat.

Grison

There are common sayings in Chilean (the native language spoken where grisons live) that refer to this animal’s ferocity and tenacity. One expression used to describe an aggressive or fierce person is “estar como quique” (meaning “to be like a grison”). Another expression is “malo como kike” (to be as mean as a grison), and yet another is “se puso como un kike” (referring to how a person “became like a grison”). Although these animals are very fierce, they can be tamed easily when they are young.

Wolverine

The wolverine has been described as a fearless, aggressive fighter that will drive bears away from their kills. Despite myths to the contrary, the wolverine not a vengeful killer. It is a scavenger by nature, feeding primarily on carrion and by preying on smaller animals like the ground squirrel (gopher). Although it will courageously defend its den and its food, the wolverine is not a troublemaker, nor does it fight for “sport.” This animal is not a significant threat to humans.

Badger

The badger is known for being an animal that won’t back down in the face of danger. On their website at Natureconservancy.ca, the Nature Conservancy of Canada describes the badger’s aggressive defence tactics. “Its muscular neck and thick, loose fur protect it when an animal predator strikes. These defence mechanisms give it time to turn on the predator and bite or claw it. When a badger is attacked, it also uses vocalizations. It hisses, growls, squeals and snarls. It also releases an unpleasant musk that may drive a predator away.” Like its cousins, the grison and the wolverine, the badger’s fierceness makes it an unappealing target for predators.

Key concepts

If confronted by an enemy, the wolverine, the grison and the badger face it head on! That is our best approach when dealing with Satan too. The Bible says that in order to make the devil flee, we are to take a firm stand against him and submit ourselves to God instead. Imagine the wolverine or the badger up against an enemy. They make an aggressive growling sound, hiss and snarl and show their sharp teeth. They are telling their enemies, “Don’t mess with me!” When Satan prowls around, tempting you to sin, you can react like the animals of the Mustelidae family and let him know that you are not someone to be messed with, because you have God on your side. God does not want us to fear the devil; rather, He wants us to live free from fear, trusting in Him for strength.

After you have investigated your animals of interest and read some of the related Bible verses, pray with your children and ask God to help them to be as feisty as a ________ (the animal they enjoyed reading about) when Satan tempts them to be fearful or to sin.

Relevant Scripture

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

1 Corinthians 15:56-58 “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Faithfulness in nature

/in /by

This nature lesson explores the idea that some species of animals are so faithful, they mate for life. Some examples include wolves, dolphins and Canada geese. The geese are so faithful to each other that if one is shot down or injured, its mate will stay with it and endure hardship to help it survive.

Tell a story about a Canada goose pair that made their nest near a raccoon den by mistake. After making their nest and laying eggs, the mother goose sat on the nest to keep the eggs warm so they could hatch.

The first night, the raccoon attacked and broke the mother’s wing, but the pair was able to drive it away. The second night, the raccoon returned and broke the mother goose’s other wing, but still the geese would not leave their nest. The third night, the raccoon managed to kill the mother goose, but the father goose stayed on the nest. One morning, the baby geese finally hatched, and the father goose was able to help the goslings escape to the water where they were safe (This example is from the book Character Sketches: From the Pages of Scripture Illustrated in the World of Nature, by Institute in Basic Life Principles. Rand McNally, 1976. www.iblp.org).

Close by comparing the story of the mother bird sacrificing her life for her children with God’s huge sacrifice of sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. Read 1 John 1:9, emphasizing that God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins! The questions for discussion can be used to solidify this lesson.

Questions for discussion
  • What sacrifice did Jesus make for us?
  • Have you ever made a sacrifice for a friend?
  • We don’t necessarily have to die for our friends, but what could we sacrifice to show our friends that we are loyal?
Relevant Scripture

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Man’s best friend

/in /by

Dogs have been named man’s best friend for a reason. That reason is the character quality of faithfulness. Dogs are incredibly loyal to their masters.

If you have a dog, talk to your children about ways you can tell that your dog is faithful. Points to discuss include the dog waiting for you to come home, watching for your arrival, following you around the house or yard and staying close to you while you work or play, and choosing to come and be petted by its master rather than a stranger.

If you do not have a dog, take time to visit someone who has a dog and ask the owner how their dog exhibits the character trait of faithfulness.

When I was a child, we had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Betsy. When we were on a cross-Canada family holiday, we left her at a gas station by mistake. When we came back two hours later, our dog was waiting there for us to return. Our dog trusted that we would be faithful and return to get her. This is an example of how trust is established when we are faithful to those around us. In the Bible, God is referred to as our Master (Matthew 23:8, 2 Timothy 2:21).

Use the following questions to invite conversation and encourage your children to consider their own faithfulness. Close by reading Psalm 18:25. Pray with your children, asking that God would find you to be faithful to Him and to your family and friends.

Questions for discussion
  • If you were a dog, what kind would you like to be?
  • How can we tell that our dog is faithful?
  • How can we be faithful to God?
  • What are some ways we can spend time with God?
  • What are some ways we know we can trust God?
Relevant Scripture

Psalm 18:25 “To the faithful You show Yourself faithful…”