Children's Story: Blind Spots

Props:

• A half-sheet of paper for each person
• Pens or pencils

Outline:

• Introduce the subject of blind spots
• Pass out paper and pens/pencils
• Have each person draw a large dot on the left and an "X" about 3 inches to the right
• Have each person hold the sheet of paper out at arm's length
• Have each person close their left eye, and then with the right eye look at the left dot
• Slowly move the paper in toward the face
• At some point, the "X" should disappear, and then reappear as the paper is moved closer in
• Talk about the fact that we all are born with physical blind spots (due to the optical nerve connection, no light receptors are present at that point, resulting in the blind spot)
• Switch gears a bit and discuss blind spots as they relate to driving
• Start with walking and how there really aren't any blind spots because it is easy to turn around and see everything behind
• Move up to a bicycle and observe that it is still relatively easy to look all around
• Now move to a small car and all of sudden, there are areas which cannot be seen no matter how hard one turns about and regardless of how well the mirrors are adjusted
• Move to a large pickup/van, an 18-wheeler -- the blind spots get bigger and bigger
• Relate these ideas to the concept that as a person becomes more self-absorbed, self-centered, selfish, and proud, the box they live in become bigger and bigger, and their blind spots bigger and bigger
• As the spiritual blind spots get bigger, it becomes more difficult to see the needs of the world and its people, and a person becomes less and less loving and caring, and consequently less and less useful to God
• The Bible doesn't say anything about God or Jesus riding with us in chariots (since cars and such hadn't been developed yet), but has a lot to say about walking with him.
• (Perhaps a bit too much of reading something into the Bible, but hey...) Maybe that's because God wants to remove the blind spots that plague us and the only way to do that is to slow us down and make us travel at a pace and in a mode where we are fully aware of the world around us.