10 Steps to Selfishness
By C.S. Bezas
It can be challenging to teach
children to be selfless. So let's take the opposite
approach in a light-hearted FHE. It will get your kids thinking
and discussing why selflessness is so important. Time for
some FHE Fun!
FHE Fun!
Opening Song: #78 I'm
Trying to Be Like Jesus
Opening Prayer: By Invitation.
Devotional: Time for spontaneous sharing of favorite
scriptures or meaningful moments discovered during the past
week!
Activity:
Items Needed: 2 pieces
of paper and a pen
Write on the first piece of paper,
"10 Steps to Selfishness." Gather the family
around to brainstorm ten zany ways to be selfish. Turn
down no idea. For example, here is what my family came up
with (ok, admittedly more than 10 ideas, but they got really
excited):
- Make the house as messy as possible
- Do what you want whenever you
want
- Don't listen to your parents at
all
- Break something and don't fix
it
- Take things without permission
- Stay out late without calling
- Make/play with stuff and don't
put it back
- Break promises
- Hit when you are mad
- Ignore family rules cuz you don't
feel like living them
- Spend all your free time with
friends — none with your family
- Be greedy whenever possible
- Don't ever forgive
- Be unwilling to change
- Be self-gratifying
- Like the world more than your
family
- Don't share — ever
Now pause to calm the zaniness
down. Ask the family seriously to consider how it would feel
to live in this kind of a household. What feelings would be
present? Invite them to think: even if they would not
want to live in this style of a home, are they creating it
currently for others? What kind of home life is pleasant
to live in? What kind of choices make it that way?
Explain that we came from such
a home before this life. Ask: What will our heavenly home
with God be like after this life? What kind of people
will be allowed there? Here is a scriptural clue:
And the Lord
passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord God, merciful
and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin... (Exodus 34:6-7).
Again,
what kind of people will feel comfortable in God's presence?
Explain that we are on earth to practice these kinds of activities.
One day those choices will actually feel normal if we persist
in trying.
Pull
out the second piece of paper and title it "10 Steps
to Joy." Gather the family round again to brainstorm
pathways to joy. When finished, invite testimony sharing about
joyful living. Talk about the possibility of fasting
as a family to invite the Lord's help to become a selfless
family. And finally, to break the bands of selfishness, we
must stay focused on our own choices and not point the finger
at others' choices.
End
by reading the following two scriptures.
But behold there never was a happier time among the people
of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni,
yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the
reign of the judges (Alma 50: 23).
And...
It came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness
(2 Nephi 5:27).
May
this be recorded also about our own families! As we look to
others' needs first, we too will find joy and happiness within
our own home.
Closing Song: #160
Choose
the Right Way
Closing Prayer: By Invitation.
Refreshments: Tootsie Pops might be a fun FHE refreshment
because they "last a good long time!" May the same
be said for the joy of our families.
C.S. Bezas' book has
been described as perfect for youth leaders and parents of
teens. Powerful
Tips for Powerful Teachers: Helping Youth Find Their Spiritual
Wings is available in LDS bookstores and by clicking here.
