THE PERSON AND LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Character Lesson One PATIENT

Definition:

A patient person is able to wait without losing hope or being anxious, and also able to work diligently without becoming discouraged.

Examples and/or Questions to Ask the Children:

1. A farmer has to wait patiently for the seeds that he has planted to grow up and bear fruit.

2. When we are patient, we can wait for our drink a long time. When you are waiting in line for your turn, instead of complaining that the line is too long, you may sing while you wait patiently.

3. When the Lord Jesus came to be a man He stayed in the womb of a human virgin for nine months before He was born, even though He was the God of the universe. The Lord Jesus waited patiently to become a man.

Verses:

"... Behold the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the earth..." James 5:7b "... God waited in the days of Noah ..." 1 Peter 3:20b (100 years - Gen. 5:32; 7:6)

Story:

There was a farmer who planted some wheat seeds in the early spring time. He had to wait patiently through the season until the late summer when the precious grain would be ready for harvest.

He did not force the sprouts to grow by pulling them up to make them look taller, or flood the wheat sprouts with a lot of water. Neither did he put flood-lights in the field over the sprouts to make them to grow faster. Instead he let the sun do its job. He watered the wheat sprouts with just the right amount of water. He patiently waited for the little sprouts to grow.

Day by day, month by month, the farmer patiently waited, watered, and watched for the sprouts to grow. Throughout the season, the farmer watched the little seeds grow from a little sprout into tender plants and into bigger plants. Finally when it was harvest time, he saw that the little wheat sprouts had grown up to be big wheat plants bearing many grains.

This made the farmer very happy. He worked very hard to take care of the plants and he waited patiently for the little plants to grow. Patience is very precious.

Craft Ideas:

1. Have the children decorate a Styrofoam cup.

2. Put damp cotton or dirt in the cup and place or plant the seeds in it.

3. Explain that they need to water the seed every two days at least.

4. The seeds will begin to sprout and grow. Later when the seedlings are bigger, they can

replant them in dirt or a larger container.

[Materials needed - Styrofoam cup, cotton or dirt, seeds (Lima beans grow well), water, paper (optional), crayons, larger container]

These lessons have been developed from the definitions and thoughts presented in the book entitled Character, by Witness Lee, published by the Living Stream Ministry in Anaheim, California.

Additional material along this line is available http://www.oursecondgeneration.com/