Showing respect
Children's sermon
Object:
feathers
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some feathers today because I
want to talk about the word "respect." Sometimes you see pictures of
Native Americans wearing feathers in a headband. The feathers have all
kinds of different meanings, but one of them is that wearing feathers is
something they earn for doing brave deeds. When they wear the feathers
other people show them respect. Does anyone know what the word
"respect" means? (Let them respond.) Respect means to honor, to look up
to or to praise. It means the person with the feathers has done something
special that other people think is good or brave. We can respect people and
we can respect the land. It means we take care of the land and treat it
well. Not putting litter on the ground and not putting garbage into the
lakes and streams are ways we respect the land.
Besides feathers there are other ways of showing respect. When oriental people meet, does anyone know what they do? (Let them respond.) They bow to each other. It's a sign of respect. How about soldiers saluting each other? It's also a sign of respect. When we go indoors, we take off our hats and it is a sign of respect. In some churches we stand up when we read the Gospel. It's a sign of respect. Some churches kneel at certain places in their service. It's another sign of respect. Some of you might have been in a courtroom or saw one on television. What happens when the judge walks in? (Let them respond.) Everyone stands up until the judge sits down. It's a sign of respect, too.
Our lesson today is about a judge who didn't respect God or people. This judge didn't want to treat other people fairly or listen to their complaints. He didn't try to help people get along together and work together. He didn't want people to bother him. But one woman kept coming to the judge over and over again until the judge finally listened. Our lesson says that God is different. God has respect for all of us and always listens to everyone's prayers. God wants us all to respect each other and to respect the land and to get along together.
Besides feathers there are other ways of showing respect. When oriental people meet, does anyone know what they do? (Let them respond.) They bow to each other. It's a sign of respect. How about soldiers saluting each other? It's also a sign of respect. When we go indoors, we take off our hats and it is a sign of respect. In some churches we stand up when we read the Gospel. It's a sign of respect. Some churches kneel at certain places in their service. It's another sign of respect. Some of you might have been in a courtroom or saw one on television. What happens when the judge walks in? (Let them respond.) Everyone stands up until the judge sits down. It's a sign of respect, too.
Our lesson today is about a judge who didn't respect God or people. This judge didn't want to treat other people fairly or listen to their complaints. He didn't try to help people get along together and work together. He didn't want people to bother him. But one woman kept coming to the judge over and over again until the judge finally listened. Our lesson says that God is different. God has respect for all of us and always listens to everyone's prayers. God wants us all to respect each other and to respect the land and to get along together.
