Tag: Bible Story

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children cartoons children's ministry cartoons Parenting Cartoons

Jacob and Esau

The other day, I was in a Sunday school class when two boys began wrestling. One of the boys was in the school wrestling program and wanted to show the moves he learned on the other. I watched closely since it would be bad for a fight to break out in Sunday school. As I made sure it didn’t get out of hand, it reminded me of the Bible story of Jacob and Esau. Voilà! I had my cartoon idea for January!

Cartoon of two adults watching two boys fighting. The dad says, "It's okay. They're just a little rambunctious. Hey, Jacob! Esau! Come meet your new Sunday school Teacher!
Published in the January 2022 CHOGnews

The Jacob and Esau Bible story usually perks the ears of young boys. Since I am the firstborn son in my family, it certainly got my attention. Of course, I had not heard anything until the story of Moses and Passover made me cringe. Hey! Why were things so hard on the firstborn kids? I thought we got all the goods, not a death sentence!

As a child, part of the story made sense because Esau was prone to make rash, unwise decisions. Still, that Jacob was a deceiver. His name in Hebrew suggests that. Later, it made me uncomfortable to learn Esau’s name meant “hairy.” The poor kids didn’t have a chance. How would you like to be introduced as Hairy and Deceiver?

Their father’s name was Isaac. That means “Laughter.” It makes me wonder if he was laughing while his two sons were squabbling. In fact, for this cartoon, I shall hereby name the dad in this cartoon Isaac. It seems appropriate enough.

One of the many lessons of this story is to be careful what you name your kids. It can be a self-fulfilling prophecy!

I drew this cartoon for the November 2022 CHOGNews.

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Bible Encouragement

Controlling Anger

This morning, I am teaching kids about one of the times David spared King Saul’s life in 1 Samuel 24. At the moment, David had the perfect opportunity to do away with the king. And if he followed Saul’s example, David would have done just that.

King Saul was pursuing David. Saul’s anger caused him to abandon the work of governing and pursue his young rival. He wasted time and only became more obsessed with killing David. It reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain.

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
Mark Twain

Mark Twain Quotes. BrainyQuote.com, BrainyMedia Inc, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mark_twain_120156, accessed January 16, 2022.

Saul did not meet his doom in this story. But he eventually did in a war. The story could have been so much different if he didn’t forget his duties and try to kill David. Saul may have been prepared for his final battle. Instead, he focused on a little threat while a much larger one was brewing.

On the other hand, David did the right thing. As a result, he became king without killing his rival. His people considered his reign legitimate because of the way he treated Saul. David showed that refraining from anger is a much better course.

Anger makes us bitter and stupid. We can’t think straight if we don’t manage it. It causes us to do and say things we will later regret. What’s more, it can make us lose focus on more important matters.

“Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.”

Psalm 37:8 (NIV)

Let’s be careful about what makes us angry. It can lead to a lot of stupid, evil things.

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motivation

Making Rash Decisions

Making Rash Decisions

This morning, I was reading about Jacob and Esau. It is a great story on the perils of making rash decisions. Esau was a guy who sold his birthright because he was hungry. He then married two women who were conveniently nearby. Then when Jacob deceives him a second time, Esau is ready for murder. It’s a lot of rash decisions in three chapters of Genesis.

There are two types of decision makers. Some of us take the time to review all the facts, perspectives and and possibilities. Then there are those of us who go with the gut and what we feel in the moment. Neither approach is always the best way.

Information Overload!

If we tend to gather as much information as possible, we can be in trouble in a world of too much information. Thanks to the Internet, we can find far more stats, figures and opinions than ever before.

It can be equally challenging when some information contradicts another set of facts and figures. One problem of the Internet is that anyone can spew facts and figures without accountability. Is that little fact really correct? Where did it come from? How can we know it’s accurate or even true?

Heaven help us! It can paralyze us from making any decision.

Go With the Gut?

If we’re stuck with too much information, is making a rash decision the way to go? Our emotions are not always right. Esau gave away his future because he was hungry. Emotional decisions we make today may look like foolishness. Temptation is a lousy decision maker. Should we really eat that whole bag of chips right before bed? And why not stay up to watch that show we’ve been meaning to catch up on? We don’t really feel tired anyway.

The next thing we know, it’s five in the morning, we feel bloated and discouraged. That didn’t go the way we would have liked! But our gut said go for it, right?

Discernment

It can be tough to have discernment. I’ve been thinking about discernment for some time. After all, my stomach has made too many decisions for my brain!

From a 2007 sketchbook on temptation and making decisions

Discernment can be hard. Who should we believe and who should be be skeptical about? Is this a great business decision, but it goes against our values? Should we wait until we get a little light on the situation?

We need a little healthy skepticism, even when our source of information confirms what we want to hear. There is a time to go with our guts, and a time to wait and see. The important decisions need to take time and fact-gathering. While the short-term decisions can have a little spontaneity. I think I’ll go get some breakfast. But I’ll do so in a way that won’t sell off my birthright!

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Bible cartoon Exodus

Left Behind in Exodus

Cartoon of a man at a door. He reads a note that says, "DEAR BENJAMIN, WE WAITED FOR YOU, BUT PHARAOH WANTED US OUT OF TOWN NOW! MEET US AT THE RED SEA. EDDIE."

Timing is everything and this poor guy got left behind. I imagine he was at the coffee shop or browsing the scrolls at the local papyrus store. Let’s hope he gets to the Red Sea before Pharaoh’s army does. 

Categories
children's ministry teaching

Why drawing a story can make a big difference in children’s ministry

Yesterday, I got to do something that has scared me and gives me a bit of a thrill every time I do it. I told the story of David, Nabal and Abigail as I drew it. Now if you ask me to draw a cartoon, I can oblige with a quick doodle. And if you ask me to tell a story, I can be rather quick with some details and a few exaggerations for effect. But I discovered a few years ago, telling a story while I talk can make for some drama within my head.

When I draw as I tell a story, I have to make my left side of my brain and the right side play well together. As I’m drawing, I have to remind myself to say a few words about that mean Nabal, and David’s angry soldiers. It’s a bit of a stretch.

And that’s why I do it. I want the kids to engage both sides of their mind when they hear the story.  I want the logical, left brain kids to get the facts. I want the creative, right brain kids to see the story come to life with a marker and paper. It’s a little low-tech, but not quite flannel graph. It’s a sweet spot for me.

I do it because I remember when an artist came to my church when I was a teen. He drew these beautiful scenes in chalk and had lighting effects that made the water appear to be moving. He made a sunset come to life. It lit up my imagination and made me see creative through the church in a different way.

My doodles aren’t anywhere near the work of art of that guy, but if I can help a child remember the story and maybe inspire him or her to tell it in their creative way, then I’ve done my job.

Besides, It’s fun flying without a net. It brings a little adventure to one’s day!

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