Leader Guide

Teaching

In the Superbook adventure, Joy really wanted to send help to her parents after their car accident, but she didn’t feel she was good at dealing with situations like that. The task she was asked to perform seemed too big for her.

Gideon felt that way, too! The Midianites had been attacking the Israelites for seven years, stealing all of their animals and food. That’s why Gideon was hiding from the Midianites to secretly thresh some wheat in a wine press. It was there that the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon. Do you remember what the angel called him? Mighty warrior.

That is in today’s SuperVerse. Judges 6:12:

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Do you think Gideon was surprised to be called a mighty warrior, since he was hiding from the enemy?

Gideon didn’t see himself as a mighty warrior. It was all he could do to thresh enough wheat just so his family could survive.

Gideon wondered how God could be with him, because the Israelites had not seen a miracle for many years. Gideon may have felt that God had abandoned His people, but the truth is that the Israelites had left God by disobeying Him. They had chosen to worship idols instead of the One True God! Yet the Lord was willing to forgive and restore them. 

Hold up the mirror. What is a mirror used for?

You know, sometimes in the morning when I get ready for my day, I look into the mirror and don’t really like what I see! Smile.

Gideon didn’t actually look into a mirror; but in his mind, he did not see himself as a mighty warrior! Yet God doesn’t see people the same way that we do. Listen to what God says in the Bible.

Read 1 Samuel 16:7b:

“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

God looks into our hearts. He created us and understands everything about us. God knows us inside-out, point to your head and feet from head to toe! 

Hold up the box. Gideon probably thought that before God could use him, he needed to be a leader from a large tribe—or to be a trained soldier—or to be rich, important and respected. Yet God doesn’t think it is necessary for us to be any of those things. This is what God requires us to have. Open the box and turn it upside down so the folded paper falls out. Select a volunteer to pick up the slip and read it aloud. TRUST.

We simply need to trust God. Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God gives me His strength.”

Hold up the hand mirror toward the children. How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself with your human eyes? Do you look at yourself the way you think others see you? Sometimes, like Joy in our video, we don’t think we are good enough to do something. Maybe we don’t think that we have enough experience or talent or brains to do what is asked. Here is another big reason we are afraid to try something—we may feel that others are better at doing it than we are! Have you ever felt that way? God knows this, yet all He requires is that we trust Him! When the Apostle Paul felt weak, this is what God told him.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9:

Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

The weaker we are, the more God’s mighty power can work through us! So we need to see ourselves the way God sees us. God sees our hearts and what we can be when we have faith in Him! God is all-powerful. He is rich beyond imagination, because everything in the universe belongs to Him. He has all wisdom and knowledge. So, when we trust Him, He gives us everything we need to do what He is asking us to do.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Hand out scissors and Pitcher and Torch Patterns to the children, and display the model you made before class. Have the children cut out and assemble the craft, then put the six torches inside the pitcher. Assist children as necessary.

When they are done, have them pull out torches one and two and read them. Ask them to look up the scriptures on the torches before the next lesson, and to think about what the verses mean to them—especially if they feel weak or afraid to do something. Tell them that you will discuss what they learned from the verses next time.