*SAMPLE LESSON PLAN ON SELF-IMAGE: LIVE 7 *

Objectives and goals

Teach the young people that they have value and that God has a plan for them.

Materials needed

Reach4Life book, cup of water, empty Coke can (poke small holes in the bottom and drain ahead of class), pieces of paper to write names on, diagram of butterfly (or actual butterfly or caterpillar).

Introduction

Today we are going to talk about the way you see yourself. You’ll see that you have value and that God has a plan for your life.

Look at this cold drink (Coke or something similar) and this cup of water. Which would you choose to drink?

The cold drink looks good on the outside but is empty on the inside. The cup of water doesn’t look very exciting, but what is on the inside is full of something that gives us life – water! We cannot live without water! Sometimes we see ourselves and others in the wrong way.

Ask: What are some ways people might feel bad about themselves? Write the list on the board or have someone else write the list. Here are some examples:

• their bodies (tall, short, etc.)

• the clothes they wear

• where they live

• feeling like they’re not smart (school is hard for them)

• feeling like there is nothing special about them

Instruction

What does the Bible say about how God sees us? Turn to the journey on Self-Image: Live 7, in your Reach4Life book and let’s read it.

Next let’s read Psalm 139:1–18. What do verses 1–6 say God knows about us? (When we sit, when we stand, our thoughts, where we go, our ways, our words.) God knows everything about us all the time.

What do verses 7–12 say about the places where he is with us? (In the heavens, in the depths, on the wings of the dawn, on the far side of the sea.) Is there anywhere that God is not with us?

What do verses 13–16 say God knew about us before we were born? (He made us; he saw us as we were developing; he knows all of the days of our life before we were born.) God knows who we are and what we are going to be.

What do verses 17–18 say about when he is with us? (Even when we are asleep.)

Sometimes people think of themselves based on what other people think of them. You must not let others determine your worth. This is a job for God and God alone. We can do some things to start seeing ourselves as God sees us:

• Get to know God. You may not be able to choose your situation, but you can choose to trust God and love him.

• Believe that God has a plan for your life. We read about that in Ephesians 1:3–6. He chose us to be his children.

• Be willing to let God change you. When an artist starts painting, often it looks like a lot of messy smudges of colour and brush strokes. But as he works, the smudges and strokes are filled in to become what the artist wanted to paint. Our lives may look like that sometimes. We have to trust that God will fill in the smudges of our lives with beautiful strokes of his brush. He will if we let him.

Butterflies are among the most beautiful and delicate creatures in God’s creation. Did you know that all butterflies used to be caterpillars at first? It works like this: First the caterpillar spins itself into a cocoon of white-looking thread. Then while inside the cocoon the caterpillar changes itself into a beautiful butterfly. The way it does this is strange, but the caterpillar actually digests itself and becomes a gooey mess inside the cocoon! If you were to open the cocoon, caterpillar soup would ooze out – not a pretty sight. But while in its soupy state, special cells begin to grow and multiply, and it becomes a butterfly. The butterfly eats the cocoon from the inside out and emerges as the beautiful butterfly we see flying around in the air.

In the same way, God has put in us what he needs to make us – something very special and beautiful. Sometimes we may feel a little like that caterpillar mush or soup before we become what he wants us to be: God gives us all different gifts and abilities. Use the gifts that God has given you! You can also work harder to get better at something, even if it’s not easy for you. For example, you could study hard in school. In sports, you can practice more.

Help others become what God wants them to be. Smile at others; listen to others; encourage others; be willing to help when there’s a problem; defend others.

Application

How can having a bad self-image affect the choices we might make regarding sexual behaviour? (If you feel bad about yourself, you don’t value yourself and may let others take advantage of you.)

Describe someone who looked nice on the outside but wasn’t a nice person on the inside (don’t use names, and it can’t be anybody in the group).

Write one thing you like about the person sitting to your right. When everyone is done, pass it to that person.

Closing

So, how can you respond to bad things people say about you or others?

Assessment

• Did the group members participate?

• Did they listen well?

• Did they answer the questions in a way that showed they understood the main point?

• Were they excited?

• What part of the lesson were they most interested in?

• Did they lose interest in any part?

• Did it seem like they didn’t really understand any part of the story?

LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Date: Age level: Subject:

Objectives and goals:

Materials needed:

Introduction:

Instruction:

Application:

Closing:

Assessment and follow-up: