Human Responses
Week 71
We respond to that which is beautiful
A precious part of our humanity is that we become aware, we recognize (or are affected) and we respond to the world around us. Through our senses, we touch, smell, taste, hear, and move responding to what’s around us in a variety of ways. God has endowed us with the ability to respond in ways that are well beyond any animal. Animals typically do not exhibit any responses to what they see, hear, touch, and taste outside the realm of their survival. We, of course, have many responses to the world around us.
Point to emphasize
We easily appreciate the beauty of a sunset.
Sample content and conversation with children
We have been discovering how God made us so differently than the animals. Now we will discover that God made us with certain responses when we see the things around us.
- [Show video #1.] What do you think? [Let the children answer.] Do you like seeing this video of the sunset? It is very pretty, isn’t it? People like to see the sunset so much that certain areas are famous spots to watch the sunset and the sunrise. People go early to these spots so they can have a good view of the sunset.
- [Show picture #1.] What do we see in this picture? [Let the children respond.] Yes, we see the sunset!
- [Show picture #2] What do we see in this picture? [Let the children respond.] Yes, we see the sunset! But, there is also a man and a dog. What do you think the man is doing? [Let the children respond.] I think he went to that specific place at the specific time so he could watch the sunset. Sunsets are so beautiful!
- Now, what about the dog? The man brought their dog along. Do you think the dog came to enjoy the sunset? [Let the children respond.] The man is enjoying the sunset. But the sunset doesn’t matter to the dog. The dog really wants to sniff around or play. The dog is not interested in the sunset at all! The dog is there because its owner is there. The dog wasn’t really enjoying and having the same experience as the man and the woman.
- There are many animals that live in in the forest and in the sea. [Ask the children to name a few.] But none of the animals in this forest come to see the beauty of the sunset. During the sunset, when the sky changes its colors, no bears, no mountain lions, no birds, no squirrels, stop to watch the sun going down. But we will sit there to watch the beautiful sunset.
- God certainly created us in a way that we can enjoy seeing beautiful things in nature, like the sunset. We are so glad that God created us in such a way.
Songs
God gives the sunshine and God gives the rain
Suggested activity
Show the children a picture of a sunset and have them color one.
Video
#1: Sunset
(https://www.youtube.com/embed/vUZFk4cuWFM?rel=0)
Pictures
#1: Sunset
#2: Sunset, man and his dog
