Children’s Program, Nov 5, 10am

This Sunday we will read the story (2 Kings 4:1-7) of the prophet Elisha who helped a poor woman whose husband had died and his debtors were ready to take away her two children as slaves. Children will pinch pots, learn about money and the cost of items, and learn about difference and inequity.

Children leave the 10am service in the sanctuary to go to their program.

Story of Elisha

After learning of the poor woman’s plight, Elisha asked her what she had left. She said, nothing “except a small jar of oil.” Elisha instructed her to “go out and borrow containers from all your neighbors” and get as many as possible. She was to fill the containers with oil and set aside the full ones. As she kept pouring the oil, she asked her son for another container—but no more were left. Then, “the oil stopped flowing.” She reported this to Elisha, who instructed her to “sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what remains.”

The widow was both faithful and resourceful. The continual flow of oil for the containers was God’s way of graciously providing the resources for the woman’s debt to be paid and for her to be able to keep her two children with her at home. Surely no words can express the gratitude the woman felt for the grace she received!

The Lesson

In our lesson, we will create pinch pots to remind us to be faithful and resourceful. As the children grow an understanding of money and the cost of items like clothes, food, toys, or books, they will gain a sense of its value and what it takes to live. As our children’s experiences with others increase, they also have a sense about difference and inequity, and how some people have a lot of money and others have very little.