Life Isn't Fair

Materials
1. Masking Tape
2. Tape Measure

Objective
Fairness is often a matter of perspective.

Preparation
1. Tape two 4-foot strips of masking tape on the floor, 12 to 15 feet apart.
2. Tape markings to the wall labeled with the height.

The Lesson
1. Invite participants in a competition to determine who can jump the highest.
2. Give them some time to warm up and practice jumping then give them 2 chances.
3. Award the girl and guy with the highest jump and the highest vertical jump (distance between reaching up and jumping up).
4. Then invite participants to compete in a distance jump.
5. Again let them practice. But this time choose a couple of participants to pull aside. Make them do leg exercises. You might even give a couple a jump rope so they can practice jumping. Be tough on them... many are likely to say its not fair because the others don’t have to exercise.
6. With smaller children, allow them to continuously jump from one line and keep jumping in multiple jumps until they reach the other. Then ask them to try to jump the distance in a single jump.
7. With older participants simply allow them to jump and measure the distance where they land.
8. On the second attempt, choose one of the smallest participants in the group, pick them up under the arms and carry him or her across to the other tape strip. (get assistance if needed so you don't injure your back)

Discussion
Wow! Isn’t (name) a great jumper?
Let participants respond. Most will probably complain that the jump wasn’t fair.

Sometimes God helps others more because they need more help. Being fair depends on the way people look at things. The little child may think it isn’t fair because all the older children are bigger and have longer legs to jump. Some think it isn’t fair because I help the little one. Others may think it isn’t fair because I made life tough for some of you and made you work out. But I was making your muscles stronger so you could jump farther. Yes God doesn’t help everyone in the same way so it may seem like he isn’t fair. But God will always do what’s best for you. If he always carried you, your legs would become very weak, but sometimes he will carry you when you really need it. Sometimes he will allow things to be difficult to make you stronger. There are some things we just can’t do by ourselves. We have to trust God to help us. God promises to support us just like I supported (name). When we’re feeling weak, we can just jump into God’s arms, and he’ll help us be strong.

Scripture
Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 12:1-17