Whole Lota Love | Object Lesson

by · May 22, 2024

This is an object lesson that can help you teach your class about how much God Loves Us!

You will need a magic trick called the Lota Bowl by Mr Magic (there are others also).  There are two sizes small and large (the video we posted shows the large one).  You can find them at many different magic shops and here is just one link of many. They will run you between $60 and $80 approximately however you can find them on Ebay also for around $25-$30 which is where I purchased mine.

The Lota Bowl is a classic magic trick that creates the illusion of a bowl continually refilling with water. Here’s a basic explanation of how it works:

  • Preparation: The teacher starts with the Lota Bowl that they can pour out a small amount of what from. However, hidden within the bowl is a reservoir that holds a significant amount of water. This reservoir is concealed by the design of the bowl.
  • Pouring Water: The teacher starts the trick by tipping the apparently empty bowl to pour out a small amount of liquid. This initial pour creates the illusion that the bowl is indeed empty.  There is a small hole in the Lota bowl.  If your finger is OVER THE HOLE it will limit the water that is poured out.  The small hole allows the teacher to control the flow of liquid from the hidden compartment inside the bowl. By covering or uncovering the hole with their finger you can regulate the rate at which the liquid drains out of the bowl.
  • Repeating the Process: The teacher can repeat this process as many times as they wish, each time seemingly refilling the bowl with water.

Before class, fill your Lota Bowl according to the instructions provided with the prop. The bowl is designed with a hidden reservoir that holds extra water. When you pour out what seems to be the entire contents of the bowl, there’s actually more water hidden inside that can be poured out again and again. You can control the amount that comes out by covering or uncovering the small hole near the rim of the bowl with your finger. This allows you to refill it multiple times throughout the lesson, creating the illusion that it never runs dry.

Begin by explaining to the children that God’s love doesn’t run out, even when we make mistakes. Use a story or small skit to set the stage—perhaps having a helper “mess up” a few times and express guilt or frustration. This gives you the opportunity to show, in a tangible way, how God continues to love and forgive, no matter how many times we fail.

Pour out water from the Lota Bowl as a visual symbol of God’s love being shared with others. After it appears that the bowl is empty, act as though the love is gone. Then, surprise the class by pouring out more water. Explain that this represents God’s love continuing even after we think it’s run out. His mercy doesn’t stop just because we make another mistake—it keeps flowing.

Continue repeating the process, each time showing that the bowl still holds more. The more times you pour, the stronger the visual impact becomes. Use this moment to describe how no one can make too many mistakes for God to forgive. His love reaches us over and over again, even when we least deserve it.

You can tie in 1 John 4:8—“God is love”—and remind the children that love isn’t just something God gives; it’s who He is. Because of that, His love will never run out. No matter how much we need it, there’s always more.

Finish the lesson by reminding your students that this is the kind of love God wants us to show others. Just as He keeps pouring out His love on us, we should keep sharing that same love with those around us. The Lota Bowl makes the perfect visual to drive home the message that God’s love is unlimited, unstoppable, and always enough.

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