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Object: Two stuffed animals: a lion and a fox.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! And, after we hear our story, I have a game for us to play today, too, so let’s get started!

Jesus was talking with some people one day when a man came up to talk with him. The man walked up and said, “Jesus, you need to get out of here and go hide somewhere because King Herod wants to kill you.” When Jesus’ friends heard the man, they started talking and worrying. They didn’t have newspapers back then, or the Internet, but every day they heard about the nasty things that Herod did to people he didn’t like, just because he didn’t like them. He even did things to hurt people in his own family, just because they did something he didn’t like. And now they said that King Herod wanted to get Jesus, and them. So, they all looked at Jesus and waited to hear him tell them where they were going to go and hide.

Jesus looked at the man and said, “Well, you go tell that fox that I am not afraid of him, and I am not running and hiding anywhere. You tell him that I am going to keep doing what God wants me to do, and not what Herod wants me to do.”

I wonder how Jesus’ friends felt when they heard him say that? (Let them respond.) King Herod was a very powerful man. If he did not like someone, he would just tell his soldiers to get that person and throw them into one of the dungeons in his big castle. The dungeon was just a big hole in the ground with one little door. The door was up really high and there were no steps to get to it, but they didn’t need steps to the door because when Herod’s soldiers threw someone in the hole, they knew they weren’t ever going to pull them back out again. And Jesus’ friends knew that King Herod would probably send his soldiers to get them. And Jesus not only said they weren’t going to hide from Herod, but Jesus called him a name, too! That would probably make Herod even more angry, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.)

But I have a question for you. (Show the fox.) When Jesus called Herod a name, why do you think he called Herod a fox? Does anyone have an idea why he called him that? (Let them respond.) Have you ever heard someone call anyone a fox before? (Let them respond.) Maybe they said, “She is crazy like a fox,” or “She is as sly as a fox,” or “She is as wise as a fox.” Have you ever heard anything like that? (Let them respond.) We say things like that sometimes, don’t we? (Let them respond.) The fox is a little animal that can be pretty smart and sneaky sometimes. They find ways to sneak into buildings and steal eggs from the chickens or steal other things they want, don’t they? (Let them respond.) But Jesus didn’t call Herod a fox just because he thought he was smart or just sneaky. That’s not what Jesus meant at all.

A long time ago, when Moses and his people were still slaves in Egypt, they called Egypt a fox because of how badly they treated God’s people. And when Ahab was king, a lot of people called him a fox because of how mean and nasty he was. They called Egypt and Ahab foxes because they were nasty, and mean, and did whatever they wanted to do, no matter how many people they hurt. Those people were bullies, and that’s what Jesus meant when he called Herod a fox; he said that Herod was just a big bully and that he wasn’t afraid of him. It sounds like Jesus said that Herod was like one of those nasty little foxes that sneak around stealing eggs and doing other things that hurt other people, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) But when Jesus called Herod a fox, everyone there knew that Jesus meant that he thought the great King Herod was just a foolish, worthless, clown.

Now, let me tell you about the little game we are going to play. Jesus told everyone that God sent him to tell them that God wanted them to take care of each other, and not bully other people around. And when Jesus saw someone who was being a bully, like Herod, he called them what? (Let them respond.) He called them a fox, didn’t he? But, does anyone know what people called someone who did what God wanted them to do and really tried to help other people? (Let them respond as you show the lion.) They called those people lions. They were strong, and brave, and honest, and tried to do things to take care of people who needed help. A long time ago, they called King David a lion. And some called Jesus a lion, too.

So, there were foxes and there were lions. The foxes just did things to help themselves, and the lions did things to help all of God’s children. And do you know what? We still have foxes and lions, don’t we? (Let them respond.) And that’s what our game is about.

I am going to tell you a little bit about someone, and your job is to tell me if you think that person is acting like a fox, or like a lion. I’ll tell you about them, and you either shout, “FOX!”, or “LION!”. Ready? Here we go.

If this person sees someone carrying something heavy, they like to try and trip them and make them drop everything on the ground. (Show both animals.) Fox or lion? (Let them respond as you show the fox.) Another fox, yes.

Next, when this person sees someone trying to carry something heavy, they like to see if they can help them carry it and make sure they don’t drop it on the ground. (Show both animals.) Fox or lion? (Let them respond as you show the lion.) That’s a lion, isn’t it? They want to help others and not just themselves.

Next, when this person wants something, they will make things up and tell lies to get what they want. (Show both animals.) Fox or lion? (Let them respond as you show the fox.) That is a fox, isn’t it? They aren’t truthful like a lion.

Next, even when this person wants something, they always tell the truth. (Show both animals.) Is that a fox, or a lion? (Let them respond as you show the lion.) That is a lion, isn’t it?

Just two more. If this person sees someone who is different than them, they like to pick on them and make fun of them and call them names. (Show both animals.) Are they a fox or a lion? (Let them respond as you show the fox.) Fox! Yes. They don’t care if they hurt someone when they make fun of them, do they?

Next. If this person sees someone who is different than them, they like to try and get to know them better and see how they can work together, even though they are different. (Show both animals.) Are they a fox, or a lion? (Let them respond as you show the lion.) They care about other people, so they must be a lion, right!

Nice job, everyone! It sounds like you know the difference between a fox (Show the fox.) and a lion (Show the lion.) And that is still pretty important because we still have both foxes and lions today, don’t we? (Let them respond.)

(Show both animals.) In fact, did you know that you get to choose if you are going to be a fox or a lion? (Let them respond.) You really do. (Show the fox.) If you want to be a fox, and do whatever you want and not try to help take care of other people, you can do that. (Show the lion.) And if you want to be a lion, and do things to help other people, you can do that, too. It’s up to you. But who can tell us which of those Jesus wants us to be; a fox or a lion? (Show both animals and let them respond.) But that’s easy, isn’t it? Jesus said there were two things he wants us to do. He wants us to love God, and to love and take care of each other. (Show the fox.) So, does Jesus want us to be a fox? (Show the lion.) Or does Jesus want us to be a lion? (Let them respond.)

(Hold up the lion.) I hope our story and game will help remind us that Jesus wants us to be a lion, and help take care of each other and not just take care of ourselves.

Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.