In 2009 I created a series of materials to teach the Fruit of the Spirit at the preschool where I was teaching. My class was in charge of the lesson on self-control, so we chose the story of the Israelites in the desert to talk about self-control. Here is our poem.
A self-control story
by Michelle Collins
Based on Exodus 18
The Israelites were in the desert
With nothing but sand in sight.
God had just saved them from Pharoah
With a mighty display of might.
Those people quickly forgot
All the blessings they’d been given
They even forgot those awful years
Of being beaten and slave-driven.
All they could think of was food, food, food
So they started to whine and complain.
Their trust and self-control flew out the window
Their confidence in God—down the drain.
So Moses prayed, and God heard:
As God always, always does.
God sent them morning manna
And a drove of birds like doves.
God told them to trust him
And not get too selfish.
God said, “take only enough,
To fill up JUST THIS ONE DISH!
That’s all you need for today
Cuz tomorrow you’ll see more.
But if you take too much today
Tomorrow your tummy will be sore.
But the people were greedy
And lacked self-control
Some took as much as they could
And still came back for more.
And sure enough it happened
Exactly as God said.
The next day those people found out
That all the extra went bad.
God guided his people
Through many a famine and storm
He patiently loved them
In true God-like form.
And sometimes they honored
The blessings that God gave
But sometimes to greed
Or selfishness they’d cave.
You and I can learn here
An important lesson or two
Do we trust that God
Will provide for us too?
Self-control involves trusting
That God will take care
Of friends who make us crabby,
And those who pull at our hair.
We don’t have to yell
Or throw a big hissy fit tantrum.
‘Cuz the Spirit lives inside us
To help us learn how to love ‘em.
Self-control means knowing
When enough is enough is enough.
It means not always needing
More and more and more stuff.
So hopefully what you see here
Is that this fruit of the day
Is growing in you and me
In more than one way.
When we control our anger
And the things that we need
We pour a little water
On that self-control seed.
So when you get angry
Or just get fed up
Remember the Israelites
Who just HAD to fill up two cups.
God guides us through times
Of good things and bad
And self-control helps us
Enjoy all that we have.
It was a hasty poem so bits of it are weak, but the kids seemed to hear the point and were able to talk about self-control afterwards. We followed it with a responsive prayer:
Dear God, throughout the day
Help me grow in self-control
As I go along my way
Help me grow in self-control
When I get upset or mad
Help me grow in self-control
When those people make me sad
Help me grow in self-control
When I’m tempted to shout “more!”
Help me grow in self-control
When I think that life’s a bore
Help me grow in self-control
When I see something I need
Help me grow in self-control
As you water this fruit seed
Help me grow in self-control
As your Spirit grows in me
Help me grow in self-control
Your loving child, may I be
Help me grow in self-control. Amen.