"Sticks and Stones"

Date: October 10, 1999
Series: "Stress Busters-Daily Living From Psalm 23"
Message: "God's Antidote for Damaged Emotions"
Scripture: Psalm 23:3
Time: About 4 minutes

Concept: A daughter comes home upset because a boy at school teased her and hurt her feelings, bringing up memories of a bad experience he had as a boy.  As they talk, the dad teaches her an important lesson about how God can heal the "sticks and stones" others throw at us.

Scene: Father is sitting in his easy chair reading the paper.  Daughter comes in, obviously upset.

Father: Hi, honey!  How was your day at school?

Daughter: I'm never going to school again!

F: That bad, huh?  What happened?  Why don't you want to go to school?

D: I hate Bobby Noodleman, that's why!

F: Whoa, that's a pretty strong statement, young lady.  What in the world did Bobby Noodleman do?

D: He teased me and hurt my feelings!

F: What did he say?

D: He said....he said I was a stinky girl!  I'm never going to forgive him as long as I live!

F: Ouch. Well, I don't thing you're a stinky girl...you're my special girl.  But, sometimes people say things or do things that really hurt.  When I was a kid we used to say, 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  But you know what?

D: What, Daddy?

F: I found out it isn't true.  Someone did something to me when I was your age that really hurt me, and I'd rather the guy had thrown stones at me...it would have hurt less.

D: Who hurt you, Daddy?  What did he do?

F: Well, it was Philip Carbreaker, at least that's what I call him.  He used to live on our block.  I had a model car I saved months for...a real beauty!  I loved that car.  One day Philip came over to our house and started playing with my car.  Before I knew it, he broke it into about 20 pieces!  I got really mad at him, but instead of apologizing he lied about what he did and got me in trouble with his mom.  He actually blamed me for breaking the car and then accusing him!  Then he lied to some of the other guys in our neighborhood about me and turned them against me.  That made me even more mad.  

D: What did you do, Daddy?

F: Well, I stayed mad at Philip a long time.  I thought I would hurt him the way he had hurt me.  I didn't talk to him and even let the air out his bike tires at school once.  But you know what I found out?

D: What?

F: I found out being mad didn't solve anything.  It just made my stomach hurt and my mom said I had a sour look on my face too much.  I realized that there was a better way to deal with old Philip.

D: What did you do, Daddy?  You didn't throw rocks at him, did you?

F: Nope.  I asked Jesus to help me deal with Philip the right way.  I chose to forgive him.  I went to his house and told him so...and you know what he did?

D: Did he buy you a new car?

F: Well, no...but he did tell me he was sorry and asked if he could be my friend again.  After that my stomach didn't hurt and my mom said I looked a lot happier.  It taught me a big lesson.

D: What did you learn, Daddy?

F: I learned that sticks and stones and angry words all hurt, but letting Jesus help me forgive was much better.  It keeps my heart much happier, too.

D: Daddy, what do you think I should do?

F: Well, I think you should tell ol' Bobby Noodleman that you forgive him...and if he says anything more bad about you, you're going to say something nice to him instead.

D: Hey!  That would really get him!  He hates it when I say nice things to him.

F: Well, ask Jesus to help you, do it with the right attitude, and you'll feel a lot better in no time.  It might even help old Bobby Noodleman.

D: I'll do it, Daddy!  I'll do it!  (gets up to leave)  Look out, Bobby Noodleman, you're about to be forgiven!  (she heads out)

-end-