Leader Guide

Spoon Object Lesson

  • One disposable bowl for each child
  • One plastic spoon per child, plus extras
  • Dry cereal, such as O-shaped toasted oats, enough for the class to eat

Check for any food allergies.

Recite the SuperTruth: “I will follow Jesus by serving others like He did.”

Please find someone you don’t know very well to be your partner. We are going to have some fun “serving” each other today! Have the partners sit next to each other with a bowl of dry cereal in front of each of them. What are some things that might keep us from serving others?

Sometimes we are so busy thinking about our own needs that we don’t notice the needs of others. We may even see others’ needs but don’t have the time to stop and help!

Imagine that you could not bend your arms at all! Let’s all hold our arms straight out in front of us without bending them. Now, how are you going to eat your cereal? Try to figure it out—but remember, you can’t bend your arms! And you are not allowed to eat directly from your bowl! The children will not be able to feed themselves while keeping their arms straight, but they can feed each other. Remind them not to use the same spoon to feed more than one person. Have extra spoons available, if needed.

There are many ways to serve others. Sometimes things that look small or unimportant to us are big to someone else. For instance, taking out the trash or bringing in the groceries or newspaper for someone who is unable to walk would be a tremendous help. Offering a bottle of water to someone working outside on a hot day would be a blessing to them. 

Jesus said in Matthew 10:42:

“And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.”