Our Fears

Material

• Headbands for each child
• Various foods cut into small pieces and placed in separate bowls (You can include unusual textures and flavors. Beware of allergies!)
• Here are some examples you might consider: chocolate 90%, anchovies, spices, avocado, dried beef, black liquorice, black olives, Brussels sprouts, candied ginger, carrot, celery, dried fruit, Graham Crackers, green olives, , green pepper, herring, jelly, jelly beans, kiwi, lima beans, M&M’s, mango, maraschino cherries, marshmallows, melba toast, pears, peeled grapes, peppers, pickles, raw potatoes, shrimp crackers, prunes, radishes, raisins, raw onion, peanut butter cup, rhubarb, rice cakes, sliced ginger, sauerkraut, sweet potato, tomato, vanilla wafers, ginger, etc.

Steps

1. Tell children that one of the major problems everyone faces in life is the “fear of failure”. We all face this fear when we are forced to get out of what is familiar to us and try something new. This lesson begins with a taste test, then examines the story of Moses when God called him to serve him in Egypt.
2. Ask the children to sit on chairs in a circle, blindfolded.
3. Explain that you are going to circulate a tray of food and that they have to take a small piece of food from the tray, eat it and pass the tray to the next person. Tell them that they are not allowed to say anything that might reveal the content to others.
4. Once everyone has had a chance to taste all the foods, show and identify the different foods that were in the bowls.
5. Ask the children the following questions.
6. Finish the object lesson by praying that God will replace fear with faith and help all children practice it this week? “My God, I’m going to trust you in this area!”

Questions

• How did you feel when you did this taste test?
• What were some of the thoughts that were running through your head?
• What fears and worries did you have?
• What were some of the risks?
• How many of you tasted something good?
• How many of you have tried something that you thought tasted bad?
• How do you feel when someone forces you to try something new?

Deeper questions

• Make the spiritual parallel.

Read Exodus 3: 7; 4:6

• Why did Moses give so many excuses?
• What were Moses’ fears?
• Fear of failure was at the root of these things. How did God help Moses overcome each of his fears?
• Do we still have the same fears today when we are asked to try something new?

Application

• What excuses do you give when you are asked to try something new?
• What are your fears? What are you afraid to try? To do?
• Someone said it this way: I would rather try to do something great for God and fail, rather than do nothing and succeed.
• What is God asking you to do today that you are afraid to do?
• Why do you need to trust God in your life this week?