Excuses, Excuses!
We often make excuses
by Alison Thurlow
Suitable for Key Stage 3/4
Aims
To consider why we often make up excuses for not doing things.
Preparation and materials
- You will need to be familiar with the parable of the wedding feast at Matthew 22.1–14. You may wish to arrange for a student to read this passage. It is available at: https://tinyurl.com/2jjxzx3c
Assembly
- Open the assembly by explaining that you are going to ask a question and you want the students to be completely honest when they answer it.
Ask them to put up their hand if they sometimes make up excuses for not having done something.
Comment that, if we’re honest, we probably all make up excuses sometimes. - Ask the students if they can think of any particular excuses that they have made or heard other people making. What excuses have they already made or heard today?
You may wish to ask the students to share their answers with the people sitting next to them. - Ask the students to finish the following sentences for you.
You may wish the students to tell the people sitting next to them or answer in small groups. Alternatively, you could take answers from the floor.
– ‘I’m sorry I haven’t done my homework, but . . .’
– ‘I’m sorry I haven’t tidied my bedroom, but . . .’
– ‘I’m sorry I was late to school, but . . .’
– ‘I’m sorry I was late home from football training last night, but . . .’
– ‘I’m sorry I was rude to my little sister/brother, but . . .’ - Comment that this was just a bit of fun. Explain that the students are now going to hear another example of making excuses - this story comes from the Bible.
Read the story below or ask the prearranged student to read the passage from the Bible.
The Parable of the Great Feast
Once upon a time, there was a king who decided that he would like to have a party. He wanted to organize a huge feast and invite lots of important people.
When everything was ready, the king told his servants to let the guests know that the party was about to begin. It was then that the trouble started!
When the servants arrived at the first guest’s house, the man who answered the door looked a bit embarrassed. He said, ‘I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to come after all. I’ve just bought a field and I simply must go and check it over.’
The servants went on to the second house. This time, the owner blurted out, ‘Er, sorry, I can’t make it. I’ve just bought some cows and I need to go and see how they’re doing.’
At the third house, the man blushed and made his apologies, saying, ‘I got married today, so I really just want to stay in with my new wife.’
When the servants told their master about all these excuses, he was furious! He stamped his foot and bellowed, ‘Go out into the streets and invite the people you find there. It doesn’t matter who they are: all the poor people are invited and anyone who is sick or worried.’
So, that’s what the servants did. The new people they asked were only too pleased to be invited to the king’s feast. When all of the guests were in the banqueting hall, there were still some spaces left, so the servants went back to the king and said, ‘We could squeeze a few more people in.’
‘Go to the country roads this time,’ commanded the king, ‘and invite anyone you find. None of those rich people I invited in the first place will be coming to this feast!’
Time for reflection
Ask the students to think back to the excuses that they gave at the beginning of the assembly – were the excuses reasonable?
Observe that the excuses were perhaps a little selfish. In many cases, the students probably made them simply because they did not want to do a particular thing.
Ask the students, ‘What about the excuses made by the people in the story – were their excuses any better? If not, why not?’
Suggest that the rich people couldn’t be bothered to come to the banquet. The king, who represents Jesus, then invited all of the people others might not invite to a great feast. They all came because none of them had any excuse for not coming.
Ask the following questions.
- Do we sometimes make up excuses rather than telling the truth?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- Are we similar to the king in the story, who welcomed all kinds of people, or do we sometimes make up excuses as to why we leave out some people?
Pause to allow time for thought.
Suggest that being truthful and trying to include everyone will make for a happier, better school.
Prayer
Dear God,
We are sorry for the times when we make up unnecessary excuses – please forgive us.
Please help us to be people who are welcoming to everyone around us.
Please help us to include others so that this school is a happy place for everyone.
Thank you that you welcome all kinds of people – please help us to do the same.
Amen.
Song/music
'Getting on with life’ by Philippa Hanna, available at: https://youtu.be/IOv5yhxJ1I0? (4.14 minutes long)
