Watch out for greed!
Children's Activity
Object:
How do we define ourselves? When we think of our lives and our worth, what are the criteria we use? We all measure ourselves in different ways. In today's reading Jesus cautions us not to measure ourselves by the things we have. Greed is very dangerous. It makes people think that they never have enough, and it leads people to think that they are better than those without as much. This is painful to God.
Let's illustrate today's reading at home by asking your children to draw you a picture. Don't tell them about the reading and discuss its meaning just yet. Ask your children to draw a picture of how they see your family. They can put anything they want in the picture -- it can be as simple or as complicated as they choose. When it is done, ask them to tell you why they drew the picture the way they did. What was included? What was left out?
Now reflect on the image. Most likely, the paper isn't full of the "stuff" of your life together. It's not likely that the paper is full of the televisions you own, the money you have, the cars you drive, or the number of toys you play with. Probably the picture is full of faces and people. Maybe your pets have been included. This piece of artwork is a representation of how your children see your family. Do they value the same things you do? Do you place higher importance on things that are not important to your children?
Greed is an easy trap for adults and children alike. The media saturates us with the idea that we need to have more and more to be happy. That is a lie. Jesus cautions us very specifically about this lie, but the hard thing is that the lie is very easy to believe.
At the end of today's reading Jesus says, "This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." We must be very careful to keep our eyes on God and our priorities in the right place. We also must be careful to teach our children the right lessons about the things we own.
Let's illustrate today's reading at home by asking your children to draw you a picture. Don't tell them about the reading and discuss its meaning just yet. Ask your children to draw a picture of how they see your family. They can put anything they want in the picture -- it can be as simple or as complicated as they choose. When it is done, ask them to tell you why they drew the picture the way they did. What was included? What was left out?
Now reflect on the image. Most likely, the paper isn't full of the "stuff" of your life together. It's not likely that the paper is full of the televisions you own, the money you have, the cars you drive, or the number of toys you play with. Probably the picture is full of faces and people. Maybe your pets have been included. This piece of artwork is a representation of how your children see your family. Do they value the same things you do? Do you place higher importance on things that are not important to your children?
Greed is an easy trap for adults and children alike. The media saturates us with the idea that we need to have more and more to be happy. That is a lie. Jesus cautions us very specifically about this lie, but the hard thing is that the lie is very easy to believe.
At the end of today's reading Jesus says, "This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." We must be very careful to keep our eyes on God and our priorities in the right place. We also must be careful to teach our children the right lessons about the things we own.
