Do Everything Without Complaining...

Supplies Needed:

flashlights (1 per child)

Go around the circle and each student (and teacher!) must complain about something in their whiniest voice. Demonstrate in your whiniest voice by using some of the following examples or making up some of your own: “My sister ate the last Pop Tart for breakfast!  That’s not faaaiiiirrr!!!!” , “It’s soooo HOT (or COLD or RAINY, etc.) this morning!!!”, “Why do these chairs have to be soooo hard and uncomfortable???!!!”.  After everyone has had a turn, pass out the flashlights and ask students to turn them on (but not shine in each others’ eyes!).  You may want to turn off classroom lights to get the full effect.  Go around the circle, complaining and whining again, but this time as each student complains, instruct him/her to turn off his/her flashlight.  By the time everyone has had a turn, all lights should be turned off.  

Say, “In today’s Bible lesson, we will read some verses in Philippians that say, ‘Do everything without complaining or arguing.  Then you will be innocent and without anything wrong in you.  You will be God’s children without fault.  But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you.  Among them you shine like stars in the dark world...’.  When we whine, complain, and argue, we are not shining our lights in this dark world.  In fact, when we do those things, we are acting just like people who don’t know Jesus.  Instead, when we choose to be thankful and allow God’s joy to come out of us, we shine our lights (instruct students to turn their lights back on) in this dark world.  So, next time you’re tempted to complain, remember your flashlight and shine like stars!”


You could continue this illustration by going around the circle again, but this time instead of whining and complaining, each person says something for which they are thankful or a word of encouragement as they turn on their flashlight.

How do you teach the children in your ministry to choose thankfulness and joy over whining and complaining?