3 Ways Into Sunday’s Stories for Children: A Gift That Can’t Be Hoarded

The Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Many of the Gospel stories are about Jesus and people who were left out or avoided for different reasons. Being sick was a common one. Leprosy was a skin disease that couldn’t be hidden, and people stayed away from people who had it. But after Jesus sent these lepers on a journey to be healed, one came back to thank him. And Jesus saw his faith and knew that this man’s journey toward healing and wholeness would continue with God. No matter who we are, we can all be close to God. God is always with us. Like all of the gifts of the Spirit — love, kindness, wisdom, joy, and more — faith isn’t a possession, and it can’t be hoarded to protect us. What we do with it is what matters.

Print, fold, read, and color the story booklet.

1. Sing and Dance

Sing and dance with the chorus of “What You Do with What You’ve Got.” What do you have? What can you do with it? The person who wrote this song, Si Kahn, was born into the best of everything, and he spent his life helping to make things more fair for everyone by saying that having everything doesn’t make anyone better than anyone else.

2. Play and Pray

Play Human Hungry Hippo. Two or more players try to capture as many objects that another person tosses into the middle of a circle in 10 seconds. Then reverse the game. Share the objects with the other players until everyone has the same. Stop after 15 seconds. How did you do? Which was easier/harder?

Pray the chorus of the song:

Dear God, Help me to know that… (change you words to I words)

It’s not just what you’re born with
it’s what you choose to bear;
it’s not how large your share is
It’s how much you can share.
It’s not the fights you dreamed of
It’s those you really fought;
It’s not what you’ve been given
It’s what you do with what you’ve got.

3. Create

Write a note or invitation to someone who might feel lonely or left out.