Today we are going to talk about choices. How many of you know the television show “Let’s Make a Deal”? (Give them a chance to answer). Who can tell me what it’s about? (Give them a chance to answer). Well, it was my grandma’s favorite show and, for those of you who don’t know, it’s about choices. People had to decide between what was behind one curtain and another curtain – or they had to trade something they already had for something else. The idea of the game was to get the best thing! But sometimes it was very tricky, because sometimes one thing looked better but it wasn’t. Can you guys think of anytime that has happened to you – when you thought picking one thing was the best idea, but when you got it, it didn’t turn out to be too great? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s a good example. Anything else? (Give them a chance to answer). And did it ever happen to you that you got something you really liked and you thought that it would be great to have MORE of that? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s right. Except sometimes – and maybe your folks say this- sometimes you can have too much of a good thing! Like when you eat too much and get a tummy ache. (Give them a chance to answer).
So today we heard several stories from the Bible about making choices – and in one of the stories Jesus has to make a choice. Does anyone remember what happened in that story? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s right. Jesus had to decide whether he was going to help a woman. The woman’s daughter was sick and she asked Jesus to heal her. And what did Jesus say? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s right. At first he said “NO!” That doesn’t sound like Jesus, does it? (Give them a chance to answer). So then the woman reminded him that it was important to help people, even when you don’t know them, and even when you don’t feel like it – even when you are tired and cranky. So, Jesus made the right choice and healed the woman’s daughter – but only after he thought about it, and only after someone helped him remember how to make a good choice.
Okay, so when you play “Let’s make a deal” you have to remember to think about your answers – and sometimes we have to help each other to get the right answer. Who wants to play? (Give them a chance to answer). Great!! Let’s play “LET”S MAKE A DEAL!” (Assign students to various roles, including “Door #1 and Door #2 and Curtain #1 and Curtain #2, money, grace, power, justice, fancy stuff, compassion. Help them play by making choices and acting out the consequences. Declare everyone winners).
So, what did we learn by playing this game? (Give them a chance to answer).That’s right. Sometimes it’s hard to make good choices, and it can be tricky, but you will never lose if you always choose to help someone else and to love God and one another. Do we agree? (Give them a chance to answer). And what do we say in church when we agree? (Give them a chance to answer). Amen. And if you agree, you say it too (Amen).
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