Added on 24 Jun 2009
Aim
Show the importance of being tolerant
Introduction
P1: Hello boys and girls, it’s great to be back with you again. This month we are going to (P2 interrupts)
P2: Excuse me P1, before we actually start the assembly I wanted to give you back that £10 you lent me.
P1: Well, thanks P2 I’d forgotten all about that. Actually, it’s been so long that I lent it to you I don’t really miss it so, here you are, have it back. It’s fine, honestly.
P2: Are you sure, £10 is quite a lot of money?
P1: I’m certain.
P2: Thank you, that’s very generous of you. (walks towards P3)
P2: Hi P3, I don’t suppose you remembered to bring that stamp you promised me. The one to replace the stamp I let you have a few weeks ago.
P3: Oh, I’m so sorry, I forgot. I’ll bring it next month.
P2: But next month is no good to me! Look, I have a letter to post and I was relying on your stamp to be able to send it. That really is very thoughtless of you.
P3: I’m sorry, I’ve just been very busy and it slipped my mind.
P2: I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve always found you to be disorganised. I do think it is ungrateful on your part though. Just don’t ask me to lend you anything else. EVER!
P3: OK, OK, it’s only a stamp. Here, have the money instead if it’s that important to you.
P2 accepts money.
Pause
P3: Well children, P2 wasn’t very nice was she? One minute she is being given £10 and the next she is getting angry about a stamp. There is a similar story in the bible and I’m going to read it to you.
Matthew 18: 21 – 35
Pause to ask the children: How many times do they think they should forgive somebody?
- How many times is 70 times 7? (490)
- How much do you think 10,000 talents would be worth today? (£4M)
- How much do you think 100 denari is worth today? (£1.50)
Story from Zambia
Story about the bank clerk in Zambia giving her too much money due to an error in converting currency.
Stress that by going back to the bank she was being honest and not looking to gain from someone else’s mistake. However, the Bank Manager would not have been so understanding and the clerk may have lost his job if she hadn’t gone back.
Reflection
Being tolerant means that we accept other people’s mistakes. After all, we all make mistakes and you will find that if you don’t get cross when people do something that you find hard to accept, they will me more likely to accept it when you do something wrong.
Prayer
Thank you Lord that you are tolerant of our mistakes. You don’t punish us even when we have done something really bad. You accept us just as we are. Help us to accept others in the same way that you accept us. Help us not to get angry, not to be spiteful and to treat other people as we like to be treated. Amen.