Items Needed:

A small box (The exact size doesn’t matter. We use 4” x 4” x 4”)

A Jewelry size cardboard box

A paper lunch bag

Gift wrap and ribbon or bow

1 “Fun size” candy bar

1 Small gender-neutral prize that will fit in the Jewely box (ie. stickers, small toy)

1 Dollar Bill (or denomination of your choosing)

Preparation:

Put the small piece of candy in the larger box. Wrap it and make it appealing with ribbons or bows.

Put the small prize in the jewelry box. Do not wrap it or decorate it.

Wrinkle the paper bag so it looks old and worn. Put the dollar in it and roll the top of the bag down, leaving some air in it so it doesn't look empty.

The Lesson:

Display the three items on a table in front of the children. Tell the children you are going to play a game and need 3 contestants. (You may choose the contestants by drawing names from a jar, or any way you wish.)

Tell the first contestant to remember this is just a game, but if they were to pick one of the items, which one would they choose. Have the child stand behind the one they chose.

Ask the second child which one they would choose from the remaining two and have them stand behind it.

Have the third child stand behind the remaining item.

You can’t be sure what prize the children will choose, but the lesson will still be effective regardless of their choices.

Say to the child who chose the gift-wrapped box, that’s a nice-looking box. I’m not saying you can have what’s in there, this is just a game. Open it up and see what’s in it.

Oh, look it’s a fun-size candy bar. You can have it. Have fun. Let’s give a hand for this contestant.

Go to the contestant that chose the small box. This box doesn’t look as nice as the other box. Let’s see what’s in there. Okay, it’s cool stickers. You can keep those. Let’s give a hand for this contestant.

Go to the contestant who has the crumpled bag. I don’t know. This doesn’t look too good to me. I don’t think there’s anything too good in there. Look inside the bag without anyone else seeing it. Oh man, I’m sorry. I don’t even know if you will want this, but you can keep it if you want. See what you think. Let the child look in the bag. Take out the dollar so everybody can see it and hand it to the child. Let’s give a hand for this contestant.

Some of us would have chosen the box that was most beautiful on the outside, but the one that was most valuable didn’t look as good on the outside, did it? Sometimes we like people because of the way they look on the outside. It’s what’s on the inside that counts.

What do you look like on the inside? Are you kind and loving. Are you generous and caring? The Lord looks on our heart. He knows everything about us. We should be the kind of person God want’s us to be inside and out.

I Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.