Aim to understand what causes jealousy
Aim:
*To understand what causes jealousy
* To understand what can happen when people are jealous
* To learn how to control jealous feelings
Materials:
* Pictures
– Cain & Abel,
– Joseph & his brothers
– King Saul & David
* Bible passages
– Genesis 4:2-8
– Genesis 37:1-28
– 1 Samuel 18:1-17
* Children’s worksheet
Lesson Outline
1. What is Jealousy?
2. Lucifer’s Jealousy
3. Three Bible Stories
4. How to Control Jealousy
5. Activity – worksheet
6. Conclusion
7. Prayer
1) What is Jealousy?
We are jealous when wish we had what others have and feel upset. We compare ourselves with others who have it better than us. There are at least three things that can make us feel jealous.
1. Love
If We think other people receive more love than us, we feel less loved. For example, a new baby in the family gets lots of attention, and the first child less attention than before.
2. Possessions
If people have more or better possessions than us, we desire to have them. Better cars, homes, clothes, toys, games, more pocket money, etc… Maybe your friend has the latest video game and you wish you had it.
3. Skills and Talents
Someone is really good at a sport and wins a competition. You wish you could do the same. Jealousy can lead to strong, negative emotions, such as sadness, hurt, injustice, resentment, anger, and hatred. It can also lead to many problems if it is not controlled.
2) Lucifer’s Jealousy
One of the main causes of the Fall was the jealousy Lucifer felt towards Adam and Eve.
What caused Lucifer’s jealousy?
Before Adam and Eve were created Lucifer, the archangel, was the most important angel. He was the closest to God, who received the most love. As angel he was a servant and the highest servant. However, Adam and Eve were created as God’s children. Naturally, God’s love for his children was greater than his servant. Lucifer received the same love as before, but because they received more love, he felt he was receiving less love. This lack of love was the cause of his jealousy
What happened as his jealousy grew stronger?
His negative feelings grew stronger and stronger. Feelings of resentment, sadness, hurt, injustice and anger grew into hatred. This led to a desire to regain his position of importance, even if it meant going against God. He pulled Eve closer to himself and dominated her with false love, in order to control her.
Eventually, this happened.
What could he have done to control his jealousy?
* Lucifer should have trusted God and understood that God loved him as much as before. He should have looked at Adam and Eve from God’s point of viewpoint, instead of his own self-centred viewpoint. He should have told God how he felt. Instead he allowed his negative thoughts and feelings to grow inside him, until they controlled him.
3) Three Bible Stories
Show pictures of three Bible stories that are about jealousy. With each story ask the children three questions.
What caused the jealousy?
What happened as a result?
What could have been done to control the jealousy?
Cain & Abel
What caused the jealousy? – Abel’s offering was accepted, Cain’s wasn’t. Feeling lack of love was the cause of his jealousy
What happened as a result? – God told him to control his feelings, otherwise he could easily sin. He did sin. Over time his resentment and anger grew into hatred and he killed his brother.
What could have been done to control the jealousy? – Cain should have trusted God
Joseph & His Brothers
What caused the jealousy? – Joseph was the favourite son and received the most love. His father gave him a special coat of many colours to show his love. Joseph had many dreams and dreamt that his parents and brothers bowed down to him. Love, possessions and his ability to have special dreams all contributed to their jealousy
What happened as a result? – They became more and more upset with him. Their resentement and anger grew into hatred. They wanted to kill him, but Reuben persuaded the others to throw him into a pit instead. Later, they sold Joseph as a slave.
What could have been done to control the jealousy? – They could have talked their father about how they felt. They should have trusted God and understood that their brother was a special son
King Saul & David
What caused the jealousy – At first Saul loved David. He had slain Goliath and was successful in battle. David also played the harp for the king, which pleased him very much. But as David became more successful in battle he also became more popular than Saul. After one battle the people celebrated in the streets
1 Samuel 18:5-8 – When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women
came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and
with tambourines and lutes. As they danced, they sang “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of
thousands.”
Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
Feeling that David was loved more and had greater skill in battle made Saul jealous What happened as a result? – His feelings of jealousy towards David grew stronger and stronger. Anger and hurt grew into hatred until he wanted to kill him. He tried to kill David on many occasions, but God always protected him.
What could have been done to control the jealousy? – Saul knew that David had God’s blessing. He should have prayed that he become a great king.
4) How to Control Jealousy
1. When others have better Skills and Abilities
Don’t compare yourself with others. God make each person different. Be the best you can be. God gave all of us special talents and abilities. It’s not just a talent that everyone can see like the fastest runner, but also an internal quality like being a good listener or a loyal friend.
2. When you feel less Love
Understand that God made people in all shapes and sizes and loves us just the way we are. Your parents love you not because of how good you are at something, but because you are their son or daughter. If you help others, then you show love for them. Then you will receive love in return. If you only focus on yourself and how you feel, you won’t feel more loved.
3. When others have more Possessions
Always wanting what others have will not make you happy. Be thankful and appreciate the good things you have. Then you will feel more content.
4. Talk about how you feel. Don’t keep it to yourself
5. Realize that to be jealous is a normal feeling, but we have to learn to control our feelings, so they don’t control us.
5) Activity
Complete the worksheet. Answer questions
6) Conclusion
Review the aims of the lesson
* To understand what causes jealousy
* To understand what can happen when people are jealous
* To learn how to control jealous feelings
7) End with a prayer
