Sowing and Reaping
Allow everyone to pick out their favorite vegetable (or fruit) at the grocery store, prepare them, and share them at dinner.
As you are eating, talk about…
What is your favorite vegetable? Fruit?
What would happen if a farmer didn’t plant any seeds? (He wouldn’t harvest any food.)
What should you expect to reap (harvest) if you planted corn seeds? (corn)
What should you expect to reap if you planted bean seeds? (beans)
Whatever we sow (plant) is what we can expect to reap (harvest).
Read Galatians 6:7-8.
If we sow (do) sin, what can we expect to reap? (Corruption, bad results, and eventually death, etc.)
If we sow good or live to please the Spirit, what can we expect to end up with? (Blessings from God, eternal life)
Do Good… Where? Here!
Galatians 6:10 says that whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to those in the family of faith.
What are some ways we can do good? (Help with a chore, Play a game together, Write a thank you for what they do, Listen, Say kind words, Think of ways to make what they do easier, etc.)
Give each family member a few post-it notes. Walk to different locations inside and outside the house and ask the question: How could you do good to someone in this location? Allow those with an idea to write it on their post-it note and stick it there. (There should be lots of ideas all over the house—help with the dishes, take out the trash, put away the toys, give a foot rub, read a book to a sibling, etc.)
Ask each family member to choose one way or more from all the ideas posted and do good. When they do the good deed, they can stick the post-it note on the fridge (or another designated place). See how long it takes to do the good deeds and collect all the notes.
Follow the Leader
Pair up family members and appoint one as the leader and the other as the follower. Ask them to stand facing one another and the follower must see how quickly he can do exactly what the leader does (make a face, raise an arm, lift a leg, make a noise, run in place, etc.). After a minute or so, swap roles.
Did you like being the leader or the follower?
What did the follower have to do so he could follow the leader? (He had to watch, He had to pay attention, He had to do what the leader said, etc.)
Jesus went around doing good. (Acts 10:38) God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us do good and be more like Jesus.
What are some good things the Holy Spirit helps us with? (He helps us be kind, helpful, and forgiving, He helps us be a good listener and helper, He helps us love others.)
When we do good things for others, we are obeying and listening to the Holy Spirit.