Copyright 2015 by Elizabeth L. Hamilton All Rights Reserved. Punctuality Lesson 3 of 4 Punctuality Watches Time (Punctuality always keeps a close eye on the clock, never fudging on time.) Scripture: And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. Luke 22:14 Preparation Print on cardstock one copy each of the picture pages. Print one copy of the age-appropriate activity sheet(s) for each child involved. HEADS UP: If unfamiliar with the story s Hispanic names and words, practice. The girl is Consuelo (kohn SWAY lo). The boy is Filemon (FEE lee MON). The beans are frijoles (free HO leez) Introduction Ask: What does punctuality mean? Right. Punctuality means being on time. We ve learned two things about being on time. Do you remember them? Hold up the pictures from Lesson 1 as you say: First, we learned that punctuality plans. You plan things so you can be on time. Hold up the pictures from Lesson 2 as you say: Then we learned why it s important to leave more time than you think you need. Punctuality leaves extra time. Today, we ll see that punctuality watches time, too. Listen. Tell this story in your own words, changing it to fit your listeners culture and ages. Consuelo (kohn SWAY lo) and Filemon (FEE lee MON) raced toward the house. Consuelo puffed, trying to keep up to her big brother. Mother promised we d have homemade tacos and frijoles (free HO leez) for lunch, she panted. I m going to eat a mountain of tacos, boasted Filemon, and two bowls of frijoles! He never got enough Mexican black beans, and he didn t want to get hungry. Not this afternoon! This afternoon was... Consuelo interrupted his thought. Me, too! Eat a mountain of tacos, I mean. She didn t like frijoles. Filemon s running feet reached the door first. He pushed it open. We re home, Mother, he called. No one answered. Mother, Filemon called again. We re home. We have to eat fast! The rodeo starts at 12:30! Where are you, Mother? He listened and then yelled at the top of his lungs, MOTHER! Still no answer. Consuelo pushed past Filemon and raced to the kitchen. Empty. No lunch waited. She looked at the stove. Nothing. She opened the oven. Nothing. There weren t even dishes on the table. We d better set the table, Consuelo said. Mother probably decided to get takeout. She ll be back in a minute. If we set the table, we can eat the very second she comes. She grabbed plates, forks, and knives from the cupboard. She set three places on the bright red tablecloth. Then she listened again. Silence. Filemon growled. Mother s always nagging us to plan so we aren t late. Well, she sure didn t plan!
Yes, and she always makes us leave extra time so we aren t late, added his sister. She said she d have lunch on the table when we got home. If she had planned and left extra time, she d be here. We d be eating. She dropped into a chair by the table and propped her head in her hands. Hold up the Page 4 picture. Her brother threw himself into the chair beside her and grumbled, The rodeo s going to be over before we can even get out of here. He looked at the big clock on the kitchen wall. Almost noon. Just then, they heard a car in the driveway. The motor stopped and a car door slammed. Mother came hurrying into the kitchen. You re home already? she asked. Mother looked at the big clock and stopped. Who reset the clock? she asked with a smile. You re determined to get to the rodeo early, aren t you? Early?! Filemon jumped out of his chair. It isn t early, Mother. It s late. It s very late! We don t even have time to eat. We have to get going right away. He grabbed Mother s keys and headed for the door. STOP, Filemon! Mother shouted. That clock isn t right. I couldn t possibly have shopped that long. You two were just excited and left the park early. You have plenty of time to get to the rodeo. I ll start making tacos right now. She opened the refrigerator and reached for the chicken. Consuelo looked at Filemon. She took another quick look at the clock and then ran to her room. Her alarm clock showed the same time as the clock in the kitchen. She ran from room to room, checking clocks. All of them said the same thing. She thumped back to the kitchen and glared at Mother. That clock is right! she said. Mother frowned. It can t be. I planned so well and I left extra time. Filemon snorted and asked, Did you watch time? He looked at her wrist. Hold up the Page 5 picture. Mother! You didn t even wear your watch. That said it all. Mother threw the chicken back in the refrigerator, grabbed her keys, and led the way to the car. We ll eat at the rodeo, she said, and from now on, I ll watch time. Bible Story: Jesus Got to Dinner on Time Luke 22:7-14 God tells us in His Word about a time when Jesus watched time. You might think God s Son did not have to watch time. He had not lived by time in Heaven. There are no clocks or watches there. Things were different, though, when Jesus came to Earth. He came as a man and he watched the time in order to show punctuality. Imagine we all are there with Jesus as He watches time on a festival day in Israel. Everyone is celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called Passover Day. The festival lasts for a week, and the city of Jerusalem hums with activity. People crowd toward the city from every part of Israel. They will shop at the markets. They will fill the temple. Even here, outside Jerusalem, we hear noise everywhere happy noise. Everybody is busy. In our imaginations, we walk near Jesus outside the city. We hear the disciples talking to Him about this special day. Today, they will sacrifice the Passover lamb, remembering when God led His people out of Egypt. As our imaginations watch, we see Jesus turn to Peter and John. Go, we hear Jesus say, and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat it. Where do You want us to prepare it, the two men ask Jesus. Jesus tells them to go into the city. A man carrying a huge pitcher of water on his shoulder will meet them. Follow that man and go into the house he enters, Jesus says. Then He tells Peter and John to explain to the man that Jesus wants to use his guest room for the special Passover dinner. The man will show them a big upstairs room that has everything they will need. They are to prepare dinner there. Make your imagination s eyes look carefully now. Jesus did not wear a wristwatch. People did not use wristwatches or clocks in Jesus day. They did have ways to watch the time, however. In the Old Testament, we
read about people watching the time by looking at shadows on the ground. Old Testament people also used sundials, so Jesus could watch the time. Did He? Did Jesus exercise punctuality by keeping a close eye on the shadows or on a sundial? Did Jesus get to dinner on time? Yes! Display Page 6 picture. The Bible says And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. Luke 22:14 Jesus did get to dinner on time! He and the disciples went to the upstairs room. Someone washed the dust off of each man s feet for them, and one by one, they took their places at the table. Jesus did not keep people waiting for Him. He did not stop along the way to watch the festival and forget what time it was. He did not walk slowly among the wonderful things in the market and forget what time it was. He did not think He was so important that it was all right for Him to be late. No, Jesus watched the time. Jesus got to dinner on time. Apply the two stories in age-appropriate words. Holding up the pictures from pages 4 and 5, read the captions: Punctuality Watches Time. The mother in our story did two things we learned about showing punctuality but she forgot to do a third important thing. What were the two things she did do to be sure she was on time? What did she not do that made her late? Some people are like that mother. They try to show punctuality by planning well, and they try to show punctuality by leaving extra time to be sure they are not late. Then they forget to wear a watch, or they forget to look at a clock. Time often passes faster than we think it will, especially when we are having fun. It s important to watch time so you will not be late. Hold up the picture from page 6. Jesus gives us a perfect example of how we should show punctuality. First of all, Jesus planned for the Passover feast. He didn t wait until the last minute to think about it. He knew exactly when the big dinner should be eaten. He knew exactly where He and His disciples should eat it. He knew exactly how long it would take for Peter and John to get the dinner ready. Second, Jesus left extra time. He knew He might get slowed down by people wanting to talk to Him. People might stop and ask Him to heal them or one of their children. He might get behind a slow-moving group of people. Also, the disciples were walking with Jesus. He had to leave enough time for all of them to go together, from the slowest disciple to the fastest disciple. Third, Jesus watched time. He knew what time dinner would be ready, and He knew they must leave time to have their feet washed before they ate. He kept an eye on the sun. He watched the shadows getting longer. If there was a sundial along the way, He could look at that. Jesus watched the time and He was not late. God wants us to show punctuality as Jesus did. God wants us to plan well. He wants us to leave extra time, and He wants us to watch time so that we are never late. God wants us to show punctuality when we go to school or to a job. God especially wants us to show punctuality when we go to church meetings. We all need to work to be sure we are never late. Holding up the pictures again, have listeners repeat together: Punctuality Watches Time. You show punctuality when you watch time carefully. Close by handing out assignment sheets.
First and Last Name: I show punctuality when I watch time carefully. Circle the correct answer, YES or NO. Peter had a lot of homework to do. Father told him he must have it done before dinner if he wanted to go to the baseball game. Peter planned his homework. He thought how long it would take to do it. He left extra time, but decided to play his guitar first. He did not watch the time, and he did not finish his work in time. Did Peter show punctuality? NO YES Mother let Tyrone, Janice, and Denzel go to the beach. She said they should be home by four o clock so they would not be late for the party. The children got their swimsuits and ran to the water. They were excited, but they remembered to take towels and a watch. They watched the time, and they were on time for the party. Did the three children show punctuality? NO YES Mother said it was time for Sachiko to sleep, but Sachiko was reading. She wanted to read more. Mother said that was fine, but Sachiko must be in bed by eight o clock. Sachiko decided to read three pages. Then she wanted to know what happened next. She kept reading. She did not go to bed until nine o clock. Did Sachiko show punctuality? NO YES Christian Character-Trait-of-the-Month Program Punctuality #3 Ages 3 to 7 Copyright 2015 by Elizabeth L Hamilton For more information, visit www.character-in-action.com
Let s Make a Watch What You Will Need: the printed pieces below scissors colored markers cellophane tape What You Will Do: 1. Cut out the pieces of the watch. 2. Color the white circle around the green circle. Use any color you like. 3. Write numbers on the green circle to make a facee for your watch. 4. Draw two arrows on the green circle for the watch hands. 5. Write your Bible verse on the back of the green watchband. 6. Tape the ends of the green watchband together too fit your arm. 7. Tape the watch face on the watchband. Punctuality Watches Time Bible Memory Versee And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. Luke 22:14 Practice your Bible memory verse until you can say it every timee without help. Christian Character-Trait-of-the-Month 2015 by Elizabeth L Hamilton Program Copyright Punctuality #3 Ages 3 to 7 For more information, visit www.character-in-action.comm
First and Last Name: I show punctuality when I watch time carefully. Look around you. You will see many things that help you watch time. A sundial helps you watch time. What else helpss you watch time? In the box below, write about Jesus watching time. Tell what He might have used to be sure He got to the Passover dinner on time. Then write about what God wants you to do to show punctuality. Christian Character-Trait-of-the-Month Program Copyright 2015 by Elizabeth L Hamilton Punctuality #3 Ages 7 and Upp For more information, visit www.character-in-action.comm
Let s Make a Watch What You Will Need: the printed pieces below scissors colored markers cellophane tape What You Will Do: 1. Cut out the pieces of the watch. 2. Color the white circle around the green circle. Use any color you like. 3. Write numbers on the green circle to make a facee for your watch. 4. Draw two arrows on the green circle for the watch hands. 5. Write your Bible verse on the back of the green watchband. 6. Tape the ends of the green watchband together too fit your arm. 7. Tape the watch face on the watchband. Punctuality Watches Time Bible Memory Versee And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. Luke 22:14 Practice your Bible memory verse until you can say it every timee without help. Christian Character-Trait-of-the-Month Program Copyright 2015 by Elizabeth L Hamilton Punctuality #3 Ages 7 and Upp For more information, visit www.character-in-action.comm