Big or Small, God Uses Them All (Balls and a Cup)

Object lessons are a fun way to grab students attention and engage them in the story and/or life application.  Last Sunday our Bible story was of the poor woman who gave a few coins unlike the many coins the rich people gave.  Jesus pointed out that the poor woman gave more than the rich people because she gave all she had and the rich people only gave some.  There are other life applications for this story but with our 4 and 5 year olds we focused on, "Big or Small, God can use them all." Here is the object lesson we had fun with to bring home the life application.

Supplies...3 or more small balls of different sizes and a one pint size, clear plastic cup
Presentation...Each person gave an offering to God. The rich people gave big offerings (hold up the big ball), regular people gave regular offerings (hold up the medium size ball), and the poor woman gave what little she had (hold up the small ball or a marble).

Each person gave an offering to God. The money we give the church does not actually go up to heaven to God. The church uses the money to show God’s love here on earth.
So this cup is kind of like the church. (drop the big ball in the cup) Can God use this big thing to share love on this earth? Will this ball make it up to God, grab some of his love and then share God's love down here on earth? (place the cup in the palm of your hand and make a circular motion until the ball starts to rise in the cup) This big offering is climbing, I think it is going to reach heaven, (spin until it flies out of the cup). Wow, there it goes into the world to share God’s love.

Could a regular old offering do the same? (pick up the medium ball) Could just an ordinary offering reach up to heaven and bring down to earth a piece of God’s love? (spin the glass) It looks like it is rising. I think it is going to make it. (spin until it flies out) Wow, an ordinary offering can share God’s love just like a big offering.

But this is such a small offering. (pick up small ball or marble) Surely, this tiny offering could not share God’s love. It is so small and God is so big and the world is so big. (start to spin the glass) But I see this tiny offering climbing. (spin it faster) This tiny offering is going to reach heaven? (spin until if flies out) Wow, that tiny offering made it to heaven and back to earth and shared God’s love.

It does not matter what size your offering is to God. Big or small, God can use them all. If you give an offering, no matter what size big or small, God can use your offering to share His love on this earth.