PO09 The
Candle That Did Not Want To Burn
Puppetry lesson by Josine,
translated by Rianne.
Purpose: To make children understand that sometimes
they will have to
sacrifice
a little bit of themselves for somebody else.
Age: 4-9 jaar
Requirements: Two candles, an Irish potato, a
knife and matches
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Cut a little piece
off the potato so it can stand. The potato starts to shout:
Potato: Ouch! That hurts!
You: Yes, potato, I need
you. Just a little, may I?
Potato: Ouch! What are you doing?
You: I am trying to make a candle stand from you.
Potato: Now, OK then, but please be a bit careful
with me!
(Level the bottom and cut a little whole in the
top and put in the candle)
Candle 1: I don’t want to burn! I want to stay tall and
long, long is much more beautiful.
You: Well, but only if you burn you give us light. And that is what you were made
for.
Candle
1: I don’t care. I want to stay the way I am. Long, tall
and beautiful.
(Put the candle down.
Make a second candle stand and place the second
candle in it)
You: You also don’t want
to burn?
Candle 2: Oh yes, I would
like to burn. I like to make others happy with my light.
You: Do you know you
will become smaller when I light you?
Candle 2: Yes, I know. But that doesn’t
matter. Please lit me and enjoy my light!
(Light the second
candle and place it next to the first one. Then have the following conversation:)
·
Which
candle is more beautiful, the first one or the second one? Why?
·
Why did the
first candle not want to burn? – self-focused:
wanted to maintain
·
its own beauty
·
Why did the
second candle want to burn? – others-focused:
wanted to make
·
others happy
(Have the following
two verses written somewhere and talk about them)
“You are the light of the world. (…) Let your
light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father
in Heaven”
·
Jesus tells us we are the light of the world so that
others may get to know Him. What makes us sometimes not want to burn our candle
or hide our light? (e.g. keeping quiet when we should, going with the crowd,
denying the light, letting sin dim our light, not explaining our light to
others, ignoring the needs of others)
(Compare the two
candles again: do we see what is happening? One is big and one is small)
·
If we want to be a candle for the Lord, shining His
Light into this world, what does that mean for us? We too must be willing to
give from ourselves for the benefit of others.