What Have You Got?

David C Cook COVID-19 Response

Upper Elementary

Lesson 9
Spring 2022
By: RLD Editorial Team
May 15, 2022

Lesson Focus:

Be careful when you feel jealous of others.

Bible Basis:

Genesis 37:1-36

Materials Needed:

Step 1:

Internet access

Step 4:

Internet access
“Scripture Prescription” template printed on cardstock (1 sheet of 6 cards per student; template found here)
Pens/pencils
Scissors
Optional: Whiteboard and marker

Summary & Links:

In order to introduce the lesson topic, students will watch a short video about jealous pets and talk about the things in their lives that are most important to them.

Memory Verse:

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
—James 3:16

ECHOES Verse
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
—Romans 12:15

Step 1:

In order to introduce the lesson topic, students will watch a short video about jealous pets and talk about the things in their lives that are most important to them.

Materials Needed:

Internet access

As your students enter the classroom, ask them to tell about pets they own now or have owned in the past:

Tell us about what kind of pets you have or had. What are some funny things that your pets do/did? (Give students an opportunity to share briefly.)
How does your pet show that he or she wants attention? (Answers might include: Barking, meowing, bringing a toy, or jumping on you.)

Pets can do a lot of really, really funny things. When pets want attention, they can become really, really pushy. See if you can spot the jealous pet in these videos!

Play this video for the students [3:43; stop at 1:50]:
The Most Jealous 😂 Pets These guys are so jealous 😂

Can you remember the last time you felt jealous? (Be prepared to give your own example to help students feel comfortable sharing.)

Jealousy can be funny when it’s something a pet is doing…but it’s no laughing matter when it comes to your daily life. When we are jealous of our friends, family, or acquaintances, it can poison our relationships and even make us do some really, really foolish stuff. Today’s lesson is all about what can happen when jealousy takes control.

Looking for Steps 2 & 3?

You can find Steps 2 and 3 in your teacher’s guide. To purchase a teacher’s guide, please visit: Bible-in-Life or Echoes.

Step 4:

Materials Needed:

Internet access
“Scripture Prescription” template printed on cardstock (1 sheet of 6 cards per student; template found here)
Pens/pencils
Scissors
Optional: Whiteboard and marker

Before class, print off enough copies of the “Scripture Prescription” sheets (template found here) so that each student has a full sheet (6 cards per sheet). (If your class is meeting online, email the template for families to print ahead of time. Invite them to bring printouts, scissors, and pens/pencils to class.) Print on heavy paper or card stock if possible. Have your students cut them apart as part of the activity, or, if time is an issue, you can cut the cards out ahead.

As students are finishing their activities from the last step, bring them back to discussion of the lesson focus. Today’s lesson was all about the consequences of jealousy. Nothing will ruin a friendship as fast as jealousy.

Have you ever had a friendship or relationship end because one of you had something the other didn’t? (Allow students to share, being sensitive to the personal nature of some stories.)

We know from our lesson today that God wants us to be very, very careful whenever we feel jealous…but that’s not always easy to do! It’s natural to want what other people have and feel angry or upset if someone else has a privilege that you don’t get. Thankfully, we don’t have to handle jealousy alone. God has given us a lot of tools to help.

Hand out a sheet of prescription cards and scissors to each student (or six pre-cut cards if you opted to cut them apart before class). Also, hand out writing instruments. Jealousy can be like a poison; it ruined Joseph’s relationship with his brothers and it can even make us feel sick. The best thing to do when you’re sick, of course, is to go to the doctor…and that’s what we’re going to do here. Each of you have a sheet of “Scripture Prescriptions” to help you the next time you feel jealous.

Navigate to the following website:
27 Top Bible Verses to Overcome Jealousy

Display the list of Scripture references on an overhead display or write them on the whiteboard. For the rest of the class time today, choose passages to act as your Scripture prescriptions for the next time you feel jealous. Write a different Scripture reference on each prescription card so that you can use it when you feel sick with jealousy.

If you have a particular situation in your life that you know is making you jealous now, you can also write that down on the back of one of your cards. Allow students time to select passages that are meaningful to them and write down the references.

What passages did you pick? (Give several students the chance to share.)
How do you think these Scriptures might help you when you feel jealous? (Answers will vary.)

This week, keep your Scripture prescriptions somewhere you can see them readily, and be careful to remember what God has to say any time you feel jealous.

Close in prayer.

Spread the word

About

David C Cook is a nonprofit organization dedicated to publishing and distributing leadership and discipleship resources to help Christians all over the world grow in their faith and pass it on to the next generation. We call this “DiscipleShaping”.

Connect With Us

Search Lessons

Disclaimer of Third Party Content

In some lessons, we may provide you with suggestions of third party content or provide links to third party websites that may align with the lesson topic. At the time a lesson is written, our editors carefully review the cited third party content and websites. However, we do not own or control the third party content or websites and they may change over time including, for example, the addition of advertisements, suggested content, pop-ups, etc on a website page that may not be appropriate for children or classroom use. We take no responsibility for such third party content or websites or for your use of them, including your use of them in a lesson. Please review each cited content or website carefully before utilizing in a lesson.

| Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Policy