Acceptance

Youth Lessons

Note to the Teacher

The icebreaker is a twist on “Simon Says.” After reading the scripture, students discuss notions of power and leadership. In the activity, students choose paths to help them talk about leadership and calling.

Icebreaker: Reverse Simon Says (10 Min.)

This is a twist on the well-known game “Simon Says.”

Have everyone spread out in the room. Explain the rules:

• When the leader says, “Simon says,” students must not do the action.
• When the leader gives an instruction without saying “Simon says,” students should do the action.
• Anyone who messes up is not out. They simply freeze for the next round and then rejoin.

Use exaggerated, silly movements to keep it light and fast, such as:

• Spin in a circle.
• Pretend to climb a mountain.
• Walk like you are stuck in mud.
• Tiptoe dramatically.
• Look surprised.

Play for as long as time allows, or until students get tired of the icebreaker.

Scripture (5 Min.)

Read Exodus 3:1–15 and Matthew 16:21–28.

Discussion (15 Min.)

• What moments from these stories do you remember most clearly?
• How do Moses and Peter each respond when they hear something they did not expect?
• What fears or concerns might influence their reactions?
• How do you think these stories challenge common ideas about power and leadership?
• What patterns do you notice between Moses’ calling and Peter’s resistance?
• How does Jesus redefine strength and leadership in the passage from Matthew?
• What do you think makes people want to avoid paths that involve sacrifice or uncertainty?
• What might accepting leadership look like in ordinary, everyday situations?

Activity and Discussion: Choose the Path (20 Min.)

Clear the room so students can move freely. Use tape or chairs to create three different pathways across the space, each one requiring a different way of moving. Explain that each path represents a different response to leadership and calling. Do not label them at first.

Examples of movement:

• One path requires slow, careful steps.
• One path requires students to help one another move through it.
• One path requires balancing or changing direction.

Invite students to choose a path and move through it silently. Once everyone finishes, pause and then explain the meanings:

• A path of comfort and familiarity.
• A path of resistance or hesitation.
• A path of trust and shared effort.

Invite students to try a different path if they wish.

Close by noting that Moses and Peter both had to move from resistance to trust, and that leadership often begins with movement before clarity.

Reflection Questions:

• What did you notice about how you chose a path the first time?
• How did your experience change when you tried a different path?
• How does physical movement help you understand acceptance and trust differently?

Total time: 50 minutes

Needed Resources:

• Painter’s tape or chairs to mark pathways
• Open space large enough for movement