Reason & Hope
Well-Known Member
I am the storyteller once a month for two groups: 2-5 year olds, and K-2nd grade. The leaders give me the topic and I write my own story from it. I use props and pictures and had a great time with the Exodus last time. This Sunday I am supposed to teach on the 10 Commandments and they gave me a script from some new curriculum they bought. The script has me calling the commandment "do not murder" instead "do not hurt anybody".
This really bothers me because it's not what the commandment means, and sometimes we have to hurt someone for their own good (like a vaccine). Jesus expanded this commandment to mean do not hate others because that is murdering them in your heart. I would be much more inclined to teach the commandment "do not hate others" than "do not hurt anybody". On the other hand, the commandment really is "do not murder" (not even do not kill) - and just the other week we did talk about all the Egyptians drowning in the Red Sea.
Does anyone here have some thoughts on age-appropriate ways to teach the 10 commandments - at least the difficult ones like adultery and murder - to young kids? I don't want to freak out parents, but I don't want to misrepresent God's Word either.
This really bothers me because it's not what the commandment means, and sometimes we have to hurt someone for their own good (like a vaccine). Jesus expanded this commandment to mean do not hate others because that is murdering them in your heart. I would be much more inclined to teach the commandment "do not hate others" than "do not hurt anybody". On the other hand, the commandment really is "do not murder" (not even do not kill) - and just the other week we did talk about all the Egyptians drowning in the Red Sea.
Does anyone here have some thoughts on age-appropriate ways to teach the 10 commandments - at least the difficult ones like adultery and murder - to young kids? I don't want to freak out parents, but I don't want to misrepresent God's Word either.