On the Inside
Judging by appearances
by Alison Thurlow (revised, originally published in 2015)
Suitable for Key Stage 3
Aims
To consider the importance of not judging others by their appearance.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the Bible passage Matthew 19.13-15. You may wish to arrange for a student to read it.
Assembly
- Tell the students that you need two volunteers (choose students who don’t know each other well).
Explain that the volunteers have two minutes to find out as much as they can about each other. Then, they will tell the rest of the students what they have found out.
Ask the volunteers to move to the back or side of the room. - While the two students are finding out about each other, ask the remaining students to turn to the person on either side of them and ask them some questions along the lines of the following examples.
- What is your favourite food?
- Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
- What do you like doing most at school? - Invite the two volunteers to the front and help them to tell the rest of the students what they have discovered about each other.
- Point out that sometimes, we look at people and judge them by their age, appearance, clothes and so on. However, what really matters is not what someone looks like, or even what they are good at doing. What really matters is what they are like on the inside – the qualities that we can’t see in a person until we get to know them.
- Explain that there is a story in the Bible where some of Jesus’ friends look at a group of children and see them in a very different way from Jesus.
Read, or ask a student to read, Matthew 19.13-15.
‘Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.’ - Point out that, even though Jesus was very busy and famous, he still had time for children. He didn’t regard them as less important because they were young or small. He saw that, on the inside, the children were very special. Remind the students that in school, everyone is special and cared for. Each has gifts and qualities that are special to them. They are all a valuable part of the school community.
Time for reflection
Remind the students that sometimes, we can find ourselves looking at people and making judgments about them because of what they look like. Challenge the students to make a special effort to get to know people in school before they form an opinion about them. Encourage them always to give people a chance to become their friends, whatever they look like on the outside.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you care about each person.
Thank you that you see them as individuals who are unique and special.
Thank you that Jesus welcomed children and did not send them away.
Thank you that each of us is special in some way.
Please help us to take the time to get to know people before we make judgments about them.
Please help us always to treat people who are different from us with respect.
Amen.
Song/music
‘Getting on with life’ by Philippa Hanna, available at: https://youtu.be/IOv5yhxJ1I0 (4.14 minutes long)
