Today we are going to talk about sharing. How many of you guys like sharing? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s good, but tell me truthfully – aren’t there some times that it’s hard to share? Like if your mom or dad or friend is paying more attention to your sister or brother than they are to you? I’ll tell you a secret: I have a big sister and sometimes I don’t like it when I have to share with her. When she was visiting last week, I didn’t like having to share all of you with her. I think that’s because it’s the hardest to share what we like the best. So, it’s really hard to share your favorite book or toy or food than it is to share something you don’t like as much. Like I was happy to share the fried pickles that someone bought me the other night – because they were yucky! What do you think of that? (Give them a chance to answer). So, one hard thing is sharing stuff you really, really like. But the secret (shhh) is that it’s when you share the things you really don’t want to share that you are the happiest. It’s true – weird but true.
Okay. Now let’s talk about church a little bit. How many of you guys like church? (Give them a chance to answer). What do you like about it? (Give them a chance to answer). I like those things too. I especially like to be with people who believe the same things that I do. It feels good when you say something and everyone says, “Yes, yes, I agree!” (And by the way, who remembers the word we say at the end of our prayers when we want to say that we agree? (Give them a chance to answer). That’s right. It’s “Amen”).
But here’s the thing. It’s much harder to talk to people when they tell you you are wrong or what you like is stupid. Has that ever happened to one of you? (Give them a chance to answer). It feels bad doesn’t it?
Now, how many of you talk to other people about church? (Give them a chance to answer). How do they act? (Give them a chance to answer). How does that make you feel? (Give them a chance to answer). So, sharing your feelings about church – and especially about God and Jesus – can feel really good if someone listens to you and tells you they’re glad you told them, but it can feel really bad if they think your church is stupid. Well, I’ll tell you a secret: that’s the same way that grown-ups feel about talking about church. The more God is really important to them, the more scared they are to share God with other people – because they might make fun of them, or they might tell them they’re wrong, and then they’d feel bad. And sometimes we don’t want to share God because we think we each need him the most. But God has asked all of us who go to church to go out and tell other people about her. God wants us to tell other people how great Jesus is and how he makes us feel better when we’re sad. God wants us to do that even if we are scared to. What do you think of that? (Give them a chance to answer). Do you think you could try that? (Give them a chance to answer). Do you think you could help other members of your family to do that? (Give them a chance to answer). Good. I agree, so you know what I’m going to say? (Give them a chance to answer). Amen. And if you agree, you say it too (Amen).
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