Children’s Sermon

Genesis 37:3-34; 50:15-21

Taming a Dragon

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Genesis 37:3-34; 50:15-21
Taming a Dragon

By Lois Parker Edstrom

The following links offer free coloring pages of dragons:
http://www.printactivities.com/ColoringPages/Dragons/FireBreathingDragon-1.html
http://www.printactivities.com/ColoringPages/Dragons/FireBreathingDragon-5.html

Our story today is about a young man named Joseph.  Joseph’s father “made him a coat of many colors.”  It was very beautiful.

Joseph’s brothers were jealous because it seemed their father favored Joseph and loved him best.  His brothers were so jealous they wanted to harm him.

Bible stories are given to us to teach us lessons about how to live a good life. I’m going to stop the story here so we can talk about the lesson of this story.  I think the lesson is about jealousy.  Do you know what it feels like to be jealous?  

Jealousy makes you want something that belongs to another person.  You believe you are being treated unfairly – that someone is being given more than you have.

The secret about jealousy is that people who feel jealous don’t feel good about themselves.  They feel they aren’t good enough or don’t have enough of what they think they need.  Jealousy makes a person feel angry.  No good can come of it.

Let me explain jealousy this way:  Picture a mean, angry, green dragon.  The dragon stays in its cave breathing fire. That can’t be a fun way to live.  

Jealousy is like an angry, green dragon. To feel jealous of another person keeps you stuck in a cave of anger.  Don’t let that happen to your good life. Learn to tame that jealous dragon.

Joseph’s brothers treated him badly.  He was sent away, actually sold to a band of people, but at the end of the story Joseph forgave his brothers.

Jealousy keeps you stuck with your anger. Forgiveness sets you free.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible.