Being Ashamed
Aim
To help children learn that God understands that we sometimes feel ashamed and disappointed with ourselves.
Preparation
You will need:
- an Overhead Projector and screen
- to practice three simple hand shadows using the above: a bird, a butterfly and a spider (one hand therefore only 5 legs!).
Focus
A large picture of a tree in the sunshine, with its shadow.
Story - Nadine goes Red
Nadine shaded her eyes as she came into the hall for assembly. The bright sunlight shone on the polished floor and it was too bright to see. Mr Thompson closed the long curtains across the windows so that the hall was nearly in darkness. There was just a narrow path of sunlight shining through the gap where the curtains didn't quite meet.
Nadine was sitting in this path of sunlight. It warmed her back and as she moved her head she saw her shadow move too. All through assembly she played with her fingers and didn't listen to anything Mr Thompson was saying! She found she could make shadow patterns with her fingers on the floor. She made a bird (use your hands to show on the screen), a butterfly (show) and a spider (show). She was just working out how to give her spider eight legs instead of five when...
"Nadine, perhaps you could tell us why?"
Mr Thompson's voice cut into her thoughts and she felt herself going red in the face. She didn't know what the question was, or anything he'd been saying. Jack put his hand up, which was unusual because Jack was always getting into trouble for not listening.
Nadine stopped playing with her fingers and looked at the floor. She felt ashamed. It was as if a shadow had come into her life and spoilt the day. She felt angry with Mr Thompson and cross with Jack, but most of all she was cross with herself. Jack answered the question and Mr Thompson was pleased.
At playtime they were allowed on the field and Mr Thompson was on duty. They played 'ticky shadow', and 'jumping tree shadows' and 'walking rooftop shadows'.
Jack came over to join in their game, but Nadine didn't want him to play so she ran off. She ran to the big tree at the edge of the field and stood in its huge shadow. Soon she felt cold and lonely. She was glad when the bell rang and they lined up to go in.
After school she was quiet on the way home and Dad knew something was wrong.
"Well, Sunshine," he said cheerfully when they got inside, "what's the matter?" Dad often called her Sunshine!
Dad always seemed to know when something was wrong.
Nadine said, "Nothing" and went upstairs. She didn't want to tell Dad she'd been told off in assembly. She felt he might be annoyed with her too, or think she was silly.
When it was time for bed, Dad asked her again what was wrong. "Never go to bed feeling angry," he said, "or things will still be wrong in the morning! Come on Sunshine. What is it?"
Nadine told him about the Assembly, the shadow animals and feeling ashamed in front of the whole school.
"Well you should have been listening you know" said Dad, "Did you apologise afterwards?"
"No" said Nadine, " and I suppose I am cross with Jack too. It was awful hearing him get a 'well done' from Mr. Thompson, because he never listens in class and I always do."
"And most of all you are disappointed with yourself aren't you?" said Dad. "That's what its like when we are ashamed, and then we try and blame somebody else!"
Nadine smiled. Dad seemed to know exactly what she felt like.
"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," she said.
"Well you know you have to", her father smiled at her. "What do you think you can do to make it a better day?"
Thinking Time
Ask the children for their ideas. Suggestions may include:
- to listen
- to apologise to Mr Thompson
- to make friends with Jack again
- to try not to mind when others get praise.
Explain that these things, getting into trouble, worrying, and feeling cross with ourselves are all like shadows. (Point to tree shadow.)
Nadine felt cold under the shadow of the big tree. She could have moved into the sunshine but she wouldn't.
Do you think she felt better after she had told her Dad?
Prayer
Dear God
Help me to tell you when things make me unhappy, especially if its my
own fault.
Amen.
Song
