A Merry and Bright Adventure for ChristmasSample

It’s What’s Inside That Counts

Does your family hang up stockings as part of your Christmas traditions? That custom began after people heard about the legend of Saint Nicholas in the fourth century in the country we now call Turkey. In other parts of the world, like Holland and Belgium, people put out shoes or boots for Sinterklaas to fill with small gifts and treats. These days, many families fill stockings with all kinds of goodies. What does your family do?

It doesn’t matter how fun or fancy the stocking is on the outside, we all know it’s what’s inside that really counts. The same is true about us. It doesn’t matter how nice we look on the outside; God teaches us to look at what’s on the inside.

What do you think Jesus would find if He looked inside your heart? What are you listening to, watching, talking about, or reading? What thoughts do you let play over and over in your head? All of those fill us with either good or bad things, so we want to be sure to choose wisely.

Family Discussion Questions

• What do you fill yourself with every day?
• How can you fill yourself with good things?
• What does it mean to “guard your heart” like Proverbs 4:23 suggests?
• Why do our thoughts matter? How can we change our thoughts?

Family Adventure: Fill-Your-Stocking Game

Make your own stockings or use premade ones to play the Fill-Your-Stocking Game. To play, find things that fit inside the stockings that best show who you are or what makes you special. It could be a toy car, a Lego character, a hair clip, stickers, jewelry, or anything else. Try setting a five-minute timer while everyone runs to collect items from around the house to place in their stockings. Gather back together after the timer goes off and share why you chose each item for your stocking.

For more fun, have someone else fill a stocking with what they think best represents you and talk about the difference between how you see yourself and how your family sees you. Then discuss how you think Jesus sees you.

Prayer

Jesus, search our hearts and show us anything that doesn’t please You. Help us be mindful of what we fill ourselves with. Fill us with Your peace and let all that we think, say, and do be pleasing to You. Amen.