Genesis 37-46
Something to say
Recap the story saying that good and bad things happened to Joseph. Ask the kids what did Joseph decide to do at the very end of the story? He FORGAVE. Tell the kids you are going to show them what forgiveness looks like.
Something to show
Heart cut out of fabric. Ask the children who were the people that hurt Joseph and what did they do to hurt him? Write these on the heart using a washable felt tip. Once the heart is full show them the messy heart and talk about how sad and angry Joseph would have been if he had carried around his messy hurting heart every day. But, the story tells us he made the choice to forgive and when he forgave something amazing happened. Put the heart into a bowl of undiluted bleach (wear rubber gloves!), then take it out. It will take around 30 seconds but all the felt tip will wash away and the heart will be clean again. Show the children the clean heart and tell them that God made his heart clean. He took away the hurt and filled Jospeh's heart with love. Repeat this whole process using another fabric heart, but this time write down some of the people who hurt us and what they do to us. Then put the heart in and out of the bleach again and tell the kids that God cleans our hearts too and wants to fill them with love.
Something to pray
Ask the children to think about whether they have hurt in their hearts. Encourage them to make the choice to forgive the people who have hurt them. Pray: Father God we ask that you would come and take away our anger and our hurt and our sadness. Holy Spirit please come and clean our hearts and fill them with your love.
A verse to remember
Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'come close to me.' Genesis 45:4
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