Blended Obedience | Object Lesson

Needed:

• Blender with lid
• Extension cord if needed
• Clear blender pitcher preferred
• Small table
• Trash bag or paper towels
• Disposable cups (optional)
• Spoon
• Cookie
• Granola bar
• Fruit snacks
• Cucumber
• Carrot
• Dry ramen noodles
• Banana
• Apple
• Peanut butter candies or peanut butter crackers
• Juice or another drink
• Optional frosting, candy, or additional snack foods

Set all the food items across the table where the children can easily see them. Keep the blender nearby, but do not make it the focus at first. The lesson works best when the kids slowly begin realizing that all of these foods are good individually before watching somebody make the horrible decision to combine them all together.

This object lesson works especially well with two teachers or helpers. One person should act cautious and sensible while the other acts overly confident and adventurous. The reactions and back-and-forth are what make the lesson memorable for children. Lean into the humor. Let the kids laugh, react, groan, and warn the teacher not to do it.

Begin by talking briefly about obedience. Explain that obeying is not always easy because sometimes we do not want to do what we are told. Introduce the idea that obeying the right way matters.

Start offering the helper small bites of different foods. Give them a cookie, a granola bar, fruit snacks, cucumber slices, carrots, banana pieces, apple slices, or peanut butter candy. After each item, talk about how good it tastes. Keep the interaction playful and fun. The children should clearly understand that every single item on the table is good by itself.

After several foods have been sampled, suddenly introduce the blender idea. One teacher should get the “brilliant” idea to combine everything together into one giant mixture. The cautious teacher should immediately panic and warn them not to do it.

Begin adding the ingredients one at a time into the blender. Add cookie pieces, dry ramen noodles, fruit snacks, carrots, cucumbers, banana, apple pieces, juice, and candy. The more random and disgusting it becomes, the better the reactions from the children will be.

As each ingredient goes in, the cautious teacher should become increasingly horrified. Make dramatic comments about how terrible the idea is. Point out how some things are good separately but awful when mixed together. The kids will usually begin yelling warnings before long. Let them participate in the chaos.

Once everything has been added, blend the mixture thoroughly until it becomes a chunky, nasty-looking sludge. React strongly to the smell and appearance. Hold the blender up carefully so the children can see the final result. Pouring a little into a clear cup can make the visual even stronger, but nobody should actually drink it.

Use the blended mess to explain the spiritual application. Point out that every ingredient in the blender was good on its own. The cookie was good. The fruit snacks were good. The apple was good. The juice was good. None of the individual ingredients were bad. The problem was the way they were mixed together.

Explain that obedience can work the same way. Sometimes children technically obey, but they do it with a rotten attitude. They complain, argue, roll their eyes, stomp away, or obey while making everybody miserable around them.

Give examples children immediately recognize. A parent says, “Clean your room,” and the child responds with a dramatic “FINE.” A teacher says, “Tell your brother you’re sorry,” and the child mutters, “Sorry you cried.” A leader asks for help and the child responds with frustration and attitude the entire time.

Help the children understand that doing the right thing with the wrong spirit can still create a mess. God does not just care that we obey. He also cares about our heart while we obey. The Bible teaches us to do things cheerfully, joyfully, and with the right attitude.

Close by encouraging the children to obey parents, teachers, pastors, and leaders quickly and cheerfully. Remind them that obedience is important, but how we obey is just as important.

For an optional comedy ending, have one teacher stare nervously at the blender and quietly say, “I think it’s growing.” Quickly carry it offstage while the other teacher panics and warns everybody to stay back from the creature in the blender.