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.
Before class, collect some pebbles. On the ground use a stick to create a target by drawing 4 circles. Write 10 in the first circle. This is the centre the and smallest circle. Then draw larger circles around the centre circle. Write 8, 5, and 3 in the circles around the centre target.
Optional Supplies: Create a target on the paper by drawing 4 circles. Write 10 in the first circle. This is the centre the and smallest circle. Then draw larger circles around the centre circle. Write 8, 5, and 3 in the circles around the centre target.
Unit Introduction: It is never too early to educate your children about the dangers of misusing alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Alcohol consumption is increasing. The World Health Organization states that in the country that drinks the most alcohol, people consume 19.5 litres per year.
The use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, khat (mairungi), and heroin, and the misuse of medicines is increasing in both urban and rural areas. One study pointed out that children as young as 10 like alcohol, followed by cigarettes, khat, and inhalants. Drugs are affordable and easily accessible.
Your children may or may not have used cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs in the past. Even if they have not, many have been around a parent, sibling, extended family member, or friend who has. Some children may feel guilty and worried when you talk about cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. Ease everyone’s fears at the beginning of this unit by stating that this class is a safe place. No one will get into trouble because of something he did in the past or because he knows of someone who has done something wrong.
Since the problems of cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs are not going to go away, it is your goal today to educate your children and to help them avoid these things. Helping children learn to say no to these temptations now will go a long way in providing a healthier future. Choices made today can have an impact on their lives now and for eternity.
Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life.
Ephesians 5:18, CEV
Difficulty after difficulty piles up on you. Sickness, lack of money, arguments, pain from a wound in your heart. It can be overwhelming. It can also be easy to think that maybe drinking alcohol might ease your pain or help you forget the pain for a little while.
Yet God shows us a better way! Rather than turning to alcohol, He wants us to turn to Him and allow His Spirit to fill us instead. The Holy Spirit is your Comforter and Counsellor. He brings joy and peace.
As you think of the difficulties your students may face, pray for each by name. Ask the Holy Spirit to use this lesson to draw them to know Jesus better. Pray for the parents of your students too!
Some members of your students’ families probably drink alcohol. Some may even be alcoholics. Share the Resource Article from the front of this unit with them. Let them know that no one is blaming them or accusing them. Instead, you are sharing important information with the children that will help them grow up healthier.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Begin by asking for a volunteer. Show all of the children the target you have drawn on the ground. If you are using the optional supply, lay the large paper target on the ground. Explain that the volunteer will try to throw a pebble onto the target and 3 have it land in the centre of the target, the circle marked with the 10.
Either blindfold the first child or ask him to close his eyes. Have 2 other volunteers carefully spin the blindfolded child about 5 times. Carefully lead the blindfolded child toward the target. Make sure no 10 obstacles are in his way. Ask him to toss his pebble on the target, trying to get it into the 10 in the centre. Leave the pebble where it lands. Repeat this with 3–4 more children. The child with the pebble on the largest number wins! The other children not participating can cheer for the volunteers.
Most will mention that they felt dizzy and unsure of walking or tossing the pebble. Ask all the children to repeat this phrase after you:
I do not think alcohol affects my speech.
Ask the children to put their tongues between their top front teeth and their upper lips and repeat the phrase again. They will probably laugh at how silly the sentence sounds with their tongues in that position. Be sure to do this activity with the children. Playing with them helps build relationship.
Putting our tongues in front of our teeth while trying to speak affected our speech. In the same way, alcohol affects us too. Our bodies react to the chemicals in alcohol. Our heads might feel strange and we might stumble as though we were dizzy, like the volunteers did. Our sight might be blurry. People might not understand us because we cannot speak clearly when we have been drinking alcohol.
Alcohol is a depressant. This means it causes people to have less energy and dampens their emotions. Some people act excited after their first drink but later feel depressed and tired. The person may also feel physically sick. Too much alcohol acts as a poison in his body. Sometimes people even have blackouts or fainting spells. In severe instances, people could stop breathing and die. It is never a good idea to get drunk on alcohol.
When we use or abuse things such as alcohol, our bodies and minds become unfocused. We can lose sight of the target. God has good plans for us, but when we use or abuse alcohol we may miss the target and not experience His best for us.
We will look at substance abuse (smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, and misusing medicines and other drugs) over the next few weeks. We will look at what the Bible says about these things. All of these things can be addictive. When something is addictive, it means you become a slave to that thing. It means that your body craves more and more of it. Your body depends on it. It becomes a strong and harmful need.
Abusing these kinds of substances can lead us down the wrong path. We can choose to say no to these things and find other, healthy things to do instead. Sports, helping others, and playing games are all healthy, and they do not hurt us. God has good plans for us, and He does not want us to hurt the bodies He gave us.
Many children may not have access to alcohol. Other children may have friends or family members who are alcoholics, and some children may have abused it themselves. In order for the children to avoid these substances, they need to know what they are. Ask the children to give examples of types of alcoholic drinks.
Allow the children to offer their thoughts.
Here are some reasons people may abuse alcohol. If you or someone you know may be using alcohol for this reason, raise your hand. You will not say who the person is.
Many of us know someone who uses alcohol for these reasons. When people abuse alcohol, they are harming their bodies and brains, and they may be harming others. Saying no from the start and finding other positive ways to live are good ways to avoid the trap of alcohol.
Read the following verse aloud for the children. If possible write it on the board for them.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Have the children say this verse several times. Ask 1 child to share how she would she explain it.
Knowing that God has good plans for us can help us say no to destructive things. Now we will read some verses about what the Bible says about drinking too much alcohol. Each group will have about 5 minutes to prepare a skit to show this verse to the rest of the class.
Divide the children into 3 groups. Give each group 1 of the Bible verses from the end of this lesson.
Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who argues? Who has problems? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? Those who spend too much time with wine.
Proverbs 23:29–30, NIrV
It isn’t smart to get drunk! Drinking makes a fool of you and leads to fights.
Proverbs 20:1, CEV
Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18, NIrV
Give the groups about 5 minutes to read their verses and prepare skits to show to the class. Help any groups who need it. After time is up, have the groups all come back together and sit on the floor. Read the first verse and allow the group to do their skit.
Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who argues? Who has problems? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? Those who spend too much time with wine.
Proverbs 23:29–30, NIrV
As you can see from this group’s skit, when someone is drunk, it can lead to a lot of trouble.
Children might suggest: He is sad, he argues a lot, he gets hurt because he cannot walk straight, and other things.
Read the next verse and allow that group to perform their skit.
It isn’t smart to get drunk! Drinking makes a fool of you and leads to fights.
Proverbs 20:1, CEV
Answers might include looking like a fool and getting into fights.
Read the last group’s verse and allow that group to perform their skit.
Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18, NIrV
Answers might include getting into trouble without any restraints.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit lives inside every Christian. He comforts us, helps us, and gives us joy and peace. When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit will fill your life with good things that are much, much better than alcohol.
As we talked about earlier today, some people use alcohol because they have a very hard or unhappy life. Perhaps they have lost a loved one. Perhaps they are lonely or scared. God wants us to turn to Him instead of alcohol when we experience hard things in life. Listen to this verse about Jesus:
We have a high priest [Jesus] who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15, NIrV
This verse says that Jesus understands when we experience hard things. He knows what it is like to feel weak or to be hurt. This verse promises us that He understands what it is like to be tempted to use alcohol or anything else to help with the pain. But He did not use alcohol to help with His problems. Instead, He trusted Himself to God the Father. When we experience hard things we, too, can trust God instead of turning to alcohol.
Show the Memory Verse poster if you are using it.
Christ has paid the price for you. So use your bodies in a way that honors God.
1 Corinthians 6:20, NIrV
This verse tells us that Jesus Christ paid the price for us when He died on the cross for our sins. He did this so that we could be restored to relationship with God. We should honour God with how we live and how we treat our bodies. He loves us. His Word shows us how to live. He wants the very best for us.
Optional: If you are using the Student Pages, have the children use them to draw pictures of how they can honour God with their bodies.
Now I will give you some tips on how to say no when someone asks you to drink alcohol. Everyone find a partner.
Blessing: May you know that Jesus knows what it is like to face the same hard things we face. He will help you honour Him with your body. You do not have to walk through life alone. May His love and care for you sink deeply into your heart.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song if possible.
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.
