SOME STRONG THINGS—AN OBJECT TALK

Let the speaker show the children a bar of iron. This is strong. Show how it cannot be twisted, and use it as a symbol of the sturdy strength that should be shown in resisting temptation.

Bring some seeds, and show how the small seed becomes a great tree simply by reaching out toward the sunlight, the air, and the rain. In the same way, they, too, may become great and strong by reaching out toward God and God’s work, by trying to do something for him.

A small lamp will stand for the power of heat. Show how heat is changing water into steam, and moving all the great factories, locomotives, and steamships of the world. Any boy or girl may get the same strength if he will become all on fire with zeal for God, bubble over with enthusiasm, and whatever he does for Christ, do it with his might.

The mysterious strength of electricity will illustrate to the children, especially if an electric light is near by, the power of swift obedience. They can become much stronger than electricity if they will be as ready as it is to run on the ways that God marks out for them.

The strength of human muscles should be mentioned. Much should be made of the way in which muscles grow strong if they are used, and become weak and wither away if they are tied up and not put into service.

But the children are higher than all these things, far more important in God’s sight than the iron or the seed, than heat or electricity or muscles; and so, with God’s help,—and he is always ready to give it,—there is no boy or girl that cannot be stronger than any one of these, or all of them put together.