During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide and Student Page, can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6
Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we do not know where to turn. We may have a disagreement with someone and do not know how to resolve it. Or we have a need and no way to meet it. Or we see injustice and have no idea of how to fight it. These types of situations can make us feel hopeless and helpless. But God gives us wisdom.
His Word assures us that when we seek Him, He will give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Sometimes when we face difficulties, we forget to ask God to open our eyes to see creative ways of resolving them. Think of situations in your life where you need a new perspective. Ask God to give you creative wisdom. Trust that He will give what you need!
Let the families know that their children will learn about creative wisdom this week. Encourage them to talk about a difficulty a family member is facing and think of creative solutions together. God gives wisdom to all!
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet your children as they come to class today. Ask them if they asked for and received wisdom from God for the situations they prayed about last week. If they still need more wisdom, encourage them to continue asking and seeking God.
Today we will learn more about wisdom. The wisdom that God gives is creative. Let’s do a fun game about thinking creatively.
Everyone stand in a circle. In this game you must answer the question, “How can I use this object?” I will state a use for the object and pass it to the next person. That person must come up with a new way to use that object. No one can repeat the same use. You will have to get creative to play!
For example, if we were passing a pencil, I might say I could write with it. The next person might say she could erase with it. The third person might say he could drum with it. A fourth person might say she could wave it in the air like a flag. Ready to play?
Hold up a common object such as a spoon or cup or other item. State a way you can use that object. Pass the object to the child next to you. That child will state a way to use the object. Continue to pass the object until the children run out of ideas. Be sure to encourage them to think creatively. If a child cannot come up with an idea, she can pass the object to the next child. When the game is done, clap for everyone’s creative ideas. Ask the children to sit down.
Great job! Some of you may never have thought you were creative. But this game just showed that you all are! God gives creativity to everyone in different ways. Listen to this verse about the source of wisdom.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6
We learned about King Solomon last week. He honoured God as the source of wisdom and creativity.
Today we will talk more about the wisdom God gave to Solomon. A short time after Solomon had asked God for wisdom, he had the opportunity to use it!
Optional: If possible, share the image from The Action Bible.
Two women came to King Solomon with a very difficult problem. The Bible does not tell us their names, so we will call them Miriam and Rebekah.
Miriam told King Solomon that she and Rebekah lived in the same house. Both women had baby boys the same age. One night, when the babies were still very young, something tragic happened. One of the babies died!
In the morning, each woman claimed that the living baby was hers. They fought over the living baby.
Who do you think the living baby belonged to? Why?
Allow several children to respond.
With the information the Bible gives us, there is no way for us to know whose baby died. Each woman claimed that the baby was hers. The babies were so little that they looked alike. No one else was in the house to see which baby died. Only the women knew whose baby had died because mothers recognize their own babies. And one of the women was lying.
Rebekah and Miriam went to King Solomon to solve their problem. Just like us, Solomon could not tell whose baby had died. But he did have the creative wisdom God had given him.
What do you think King Solomon did?
Allow children to guess.
What could Solomon do? Obviously one of the women was lying. But which one? No one else had been in the house to see what had happened. How could anyone prove whose baby had died?
Solomon must have known that no one could prove which woman was telling the truth. God helped him think very creatively to solve the problem. King Solomon said, “Both of you claim the living child is yours. Each says the dead child belongs to the other. Bring me a sword.”
Why do you think Solomon asked for the sword?
Let the children guess.
The servants brought a sword to the king. Then the king said something very startling.
He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
1 Kings 3:25
Do you think King Solomon really had the baby killed? Why do you think that?
King Solomon would not have killed the baby. He said this to discover which of the women was the real mother.
Miriam cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give Rebekah the child—please do not kill him!”
But Rebekah said, “Yes, kill the baby.”
In that moment, Solomon knew the truth. He knew who the real mother was.
Who do you think the real mother was? How do you know?
Solomon could see Miriam loved her son so much she would rather give him up to Rebekah than let him be killed. He knew for certain that Miriam, not Rebekah, was the boy’s true mother.
Solomon ordered, “Give the baby to Miriam, who wants him to live. She is his mother!”
Word of King Solomon’s decision spread quickly throughout all Israel. People were amazed as they realized the great creative wisdom God had given him.
God cares about the decisions we make. He wants us to make decisions that are wise, honour Him, and are fair to everyone. Sometimes our decisions only affect us. Sometimes our decisions also affect other people. Either way, God wants us to make decisions that are good for everyone and that honour Him. Sometimes it is hard to know what the best thing to do is. When this happens, it is an opportunity for us to be like Solomon. We can ask God for wisdom.
Let’s use creative thinking to help with a pretend decision. Remember that wisdom is God-given good judgment and understanding about what is true or right. Real, creative wisdom uses your experiences, knowledge, and common sense.
We will talk in groups about a situation and use wisdom to come up with wise decision.
Divide the children into groups of 7–8 children. Ask the groups to sit quietly together.
Here is the pretend situation. Your group only has enough sweets for 4 children. What will you do? I will give you some steps to making wise, creative decisions. Your group will talk about each step to help you come up with a good, creative decision.
Remember that you only have enough sweets for 4 children. You have 2 minutes to come up with as many ideas about what to do as you can. Go!
Allow the groups 2 minutes to think of ideas.
What are some possible solutions to the problem?
Allow each group to offer 1 idea.
As a group, choose a solution. Talk about what would happen if you made that decision. As you choose a solution, ask these questions:
Give the groups 1 minute to choose their solutions. Ask each group to share their decision briefly, and then clap for all the groups.
When you need wisdom, remember the steps we learned.
Think of a situation in your own life for which you need creative wisdom. We will do the first step now, and during the week you will do the rest of the steps.
Optional: If you are using the Student Pages, allow the children to draw their situations and begin to work through the steps for finding wisdom on them.
Give the children a minute to ask God for creative wisdom for their problems. While your children are thinking and praying, go around the class and pray this blessing from Proverbs 2:6 over each child. You may place a hand on a shoulder or just hold it out toward the child.
Blessing: May the Lord give you, (child’s name), wisdom. He will give you knowledge and understanding as you seek Him.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible. (soft return here)
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
