Body, Soul, and Spirit - By Tom Messing
As the director of LifeSavers Kids Club in Ypsilanti and Garden City, Michigan, I hold the responsibility of conveying the deep concepts of God in a way that children (6- to 12-years-old) can understand. I'm sure you're probably reading this blog because you have a similar responsibility, whether to your own children or as a minister, etc. It's not always an easy task and usually involves a creative translation and a great deal of patience (from both the kids and adults!). Today I attempted to teach about the human Body, Soul, and Spirit; and I thought the information below might help you convey these things to your kids.
The lesson began on a white board with a drawing of three circles: 1 large outer circle, 1 medium inside, and 1 smaller still in the middle--looking much like a target. Without coercion, they all agreed that the body was the larger outside circle and the two inner circles were up for debate...but we settled on the soul being the medium circle and the spirit the smallest of the three. That being said, then came the good part!
BODY
The body is easy to define; it's basically our flesh. With all of its complexities and mysteries, it’s the most tangible part of who we are. The body has obvious needs (food, water, etc.) by which it grows to maturity.
SOUL
To many, the soul has been a little more elusive of a clear definition. So for the sake of simplifying the illustration, we defined the soul as being our mind, will, and emotions. The soul is still somewhat simple to identify--mostly by its physical expressions of thoughts and desires (such as laughing, crying, etc.). Its needs include knowledge and positive social interaction.
SPIRIT
The spirit was the most interesting topic of discussion and surprisingly easy for the kids to define. They used words such as "energy," "power" and "life." I tried to explain further by saying that it’s the invisible part of you that Jesus comes into when you ask Him "into your heart," and He lives there with you. Jesus originally gave you your spirit, and it grows the same way your body and soul grow: by feeding it!
I illustrated with a story of a boy whose leg stopped growing one day while the rest of his body continued to grow. Of course in the beginning it was barely noticeable, recognizable only as a slight limp. But as the rest of him continued to grow, his limp became more and more noticeable. Finally he became a grown man with a boy’s leg. This made life more difficult for the boy.
It’s the same way with our spirit. As our bodies and souls grow, so too should our spirits. If any of the three stops growing, life becomes difficult at best. At some point in our lives we become responsible for nourishing ourselves--body, soul, and spirit--and it’s up to us at that point to feed all three. But perhaps more importantly, we need to recognize when the growing has stopped!
Do what you can to help your kids see the importance of feeding their spirit through scripture reading, prayer, godly actions, Christ-like decisions, worship, and so forth. It's always important to put practical tools in your kids' hands.
For deeper information on this topic, check out Art's article: Body, Soul, and Spirit - What is Life?.
~Tom
The lesson began on a white board with a drawing of three circles: 1 large outer circle, 1 medium inside, and 1 smaller still in the middle--looking much like a target. Without coercion, they all agreed that the body was the larger outside circle and the two inner circles were up for debate...but we settled on the soul being the medium circle and the spirit the smallest of the three. That being said, then came the good part!
BODY
The body is easy to define; it's basically our flesh. With all of its complexities and mysteries, it’s the most tangible part of who we are. The body has obvious needs (food, water, etc.) by which it grows to maturity.
SOUL
To many, the soul has been a little more elusive of a clear definition. So for the sake of simplifying the illustration, we defined the soul as being our mind, will, and emotions. The soul is still somewhat simple to identify--mostly by its physical expressions of thoughts and desires (such as laughing, crying, etc.). Its needs include knowledge and positive social interaction.
SPIRIT
The spirit was the most interesting topic of discussion and surprisingly easy for the kids to define. They used words such as "energy," "power" and "life." I tried to explain further by saying that it’s the invisible part of you that Jesus comes into when you ask Him "into your heart," and He lives there with you. Jesus originally gave you your spirit, and it grows the same way your body and soul grow: by feeding it!
I illustrated with a story of a boy whose leg stopped growing one day while the rest of his body continued to grow. Of course in the beginning it was barely noticeable, recognizable only as a slight limp. But as the rest of him continued to grow, his limp became more and more noticeable. Finally he became a grown man with a boy’s leg. This made life more difficult for the boy.
It’s the same way with our spirit. As our bodies and souls grow, so too should our spirits. If any of the three stops growing, life becomes difficult at best. At some point in our lives we become responsible for nourishing ourselves--body, soul, and spirit--and it’s up to us at that point to feed all three. But perhaps more importantly, we need to recognize when the growing has stopped!
Do what you can to help your kids see the importance of feeding their spirit through scripture reading, prayer, godly actions, Christ-like decisions, worship, and so forth. It's always important to put practical tools in your kids' hands.
For deeper information on this topic, check out Art's article: Body, Soul, and Spirit - What is Life?.
~Tom
Labels: body soul spirit, teaching spirituality to kids, Tom Messing
posted by Art Thomas | 10:01 AM
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