My Odd Analogies

I love teaching. I love finding connections in the gospel, the scriptures, and using those connections to draw closer to Jesus Christ. Every time I teach with the invitation of the Holy Ghost, I can feel the spirit using me as a vessel to make connections I might not otherwise see myself.

A few weeks ago, I was teaching my primary class of 8-9 year olds. We were discussing Jesus Christ cleansing the temple (John 2:13-16, Matthew 21:12-14). As we discussed Christ throwing out the money-changers, one sweet girl asked, "But isn't it a sin to get angry?"

This was a question that I, truthfully, didn't have an answer for. But then a thought hit me.

"What if you're brothers and sisters were having a party in your room?" I asked, knowing that this girl had 7 brothers and sisters. I continued, "And they were destroying everything that is important to you. What would you do?"

"Tell them to leave," she said.

"What if they didn't leave? And they kept trashing your room? Would you quietly ask them to leave, or would you force them out."

She would force them out, she said. The temple is Christ's house, and he has every right to kick out those who were defiling his house. In both cases, it was not a sin to reclaim what was rightfully yours.

A little later, I was teaching a group of young girls how they were children of God, and that being a child/daughter of God made you special.

"But if everyone is a child of God, then how are we special?" one girl asked.

Here I was, with no answer when one just popped in my head.

"Lets say I give you a $100," I said. The eyes of every single girl grew wide and attentive. "Would you feel special?"

She nodded in agreement.

"Let's say I give everyone else $100. Would that make your $100 less special?"

After discussing the money analogy, the girls decided that we wouldn't feel less special if everyone had $100 too.

Later, one of the other leaders made a connection that it is also how we use our $100 that makes us good stewards for God. We can spend that money on fun things, invest it wisely, or use it to serve others. The same with our time. And as we know we are daughters of God, we will use our time more wisely and be better stewards of our "$100."