God Can Change Us | Object Lesson with Bob

Needed:

• Two clear bottles or jars (representing two people)
• Small bottle of sodium hydroxide (can be purchased online)
• Phenolphthalein pH indicator (turns pink in high pH)
• Bromothymol blue pH indicator (turns blue in high pH)
• Clear water
• Small spoon or stir stick
• Dropper bottles (optional, to control color-changing solutions)

Objective

This object lesson teaches children the importance of having courage to follow God, even when it feels difficult or intimidating. It’s especially relatable for kids who face peer pressure at school or fear standing out for their faith. The visual demonstration reinforces how God can completely change our lives when we truly let Him in and pray.

Preparation

Before class, prepare two bottles or jars with clear water. Label one “Boys” and one “Girls” if you want to tie it into the two-color change demonstration. In each bottle, add a few drops of the pH indicator, phenolphthalein for one (which will turn pink) and bromothymol blue for the other (which will turn blue). Leave both looking completely clear before the demonstration.

Separately, dissolve a very small amount of sodium hydroxide (a base) into a cup of water. This will serve as the “God solution.” Only a few crystals are needed. Handle this part carefully and keep it out of children’s reach. Once mixed, pour the solution into a small bottle or container that you can safely pour from during the lesson.

Teaching the Lesson

Begin by introducing the idea of courage. Talk about how hard it can sometimes be to stand up for what’s right at school or in life. You might use a short skit or a helper to make this point funny and relatable, like a child who refuses to get on the school bus because they’re afraid of what might happen. This small setup helps children see how fear can hold us back from doing things that would help us grow.

Then transition to the main demonstration. Show the two bottles of clear liquid and explain that they represent people. On their own, they seem ordinary, just plain water. Then pick up the container of “God solution” and tell the class that this represents God. Explain that even a little bit of God can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Pour a small amount of the God solution into the first bottle. Nothing will appear to happen right away. Pause and let the kids react. Then tell them that to truly change, we must also pray and seek God. Have the kids pretend to pray with you, closing their eyes and praying out loud for a few seconds.

As they do, pour the God solution into the bottles again. Suddenly, the clear water will change colors, one turning pink and the other turning blue. The change is immediate and dramatic, which makes it a powerful moment.

Explain that this is what happens when we let God into our lives. He changes us completely from the inside out. What seemed plain or ordinary suddenly becomes alive, bright, and full of purpose.

Making the Message Stick

After the reaction, hold up the bottles and compare them to the ones from before. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but the transformation was waiting to take place, it just needed the right combination of God’s presence and our willingness to pray and seek Him.

Talk about how prayer, fasting, and coming to church help us grow stronger in our faith. Encourage the children to be brave in their walk with God, just like this experiment showed. When we step out in courage and invite God into our lives, He makes something beautiful out of what once looked ordinary.

Science Behind the Lesson

For the teacher’s understanding: Phenolphthalein and bromothymol blue are pH indicators that change color when they come into contact with a base. The sodium hydroxide acts as the “God solution,” raising the pH and causing the color shift. The reaction is safe when handled properly and can be reused for multiple demonstrations.

Wrap-Up

End the lesson by connecting back to the theme of courage. Sometimes it’s scary to take the first step in following God, just like getting on a bus for the first time or standing up for what’s right when others don’t. But when we do, God steps in and changes everything.

Encourage the children to talk to God whenever they feel afraid. Remind them that courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s trusting God enough to move forward anyway. And when we have God in our lives, we’ll never have to face those moments alone.