Leader Guide

Job Says Game

Job needed to be careful about whose advice he followed! Who gave him unwise or foolish advice? His wife, his three friends. 

Yes, Job was surrounded by people who did not understand the test he was given. They wanted Job to blame God or blame himself! Neither counsel was wise. It is very important for us to decide whether advice is good or not before we follow it. Wise counsel will always line up with God’s Word!  

Explain that this game is played similar to “Simon Says.” Wise advice begins with “Job says,” but foolish advice or counsel does not. Children should only act on the wise counsel from Job. When children act on unwise instruction—not begun with “Job says”—they must sit out for two instructions before returning to the game.

Have children stand in rows, with enough room to do the motions. Say and model the instructions below—even the ones that do not begin with “Job says.” You do not need to do them in order; you may repeat one twice in a row for fun, or go back and forth between two instructions several times to keep children guessing. You may also add instructions of your own to enhance the game.

1. Job says don’t look at evil things.  Cover eyes with hands.
2. Job says cover your ears to block foolish advice.  Put hands over ears.
3. Cover your ears when you sneeze.  Put hands over ears.
4. Make an angry face.  Exaggerated facial expression.
5. Job says to pray.  Put hands together with fingers interlocked, close eyes.
6. Be angry and bitter when things go wrong.  Clench fists and shake them.
7. Job says raise your arms in worship.  Put both arms up toward sky.
8. Stomp your feet in disobedience.  Stomp both feet.
9. Sit down and give up.  Sit down on floor.
10. Job says kneel in prayer.  Kneel down and place hands together in prayer.
11. Refuse to listen to wisdom.  Fold hands over chest with defiant look.
12. Job says praise the name of God.  Jump up and down with hands in air.
13. Look sad and tired all the time.  Make sad face, head down, droop shoulders.
14. Job says to follow God everywhere.  Walk happily in place.

Conclusion: Good job choosing the wise counsel! We need to be very careful who we choose to listen to and follow. Job chose to listen to God. The good news for us is that we are not left alone to make these choices. Jesus sent us a Helper to guide us in making wise choices—does anyone know who that Helper is? Holy Spirit.

Yes, when we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, God’s Spirit lives inside us and helps us decide what is foolish and what is wise!