Discuss these examples of how animals and plants must “obey laws” in nature to stay alive.
Discussion point: Review God’s plan for personal salvation and the importance of obeying God.
Play this game of “What Would Happen?” with your kids while you are driving or taking a walk outside. Introduce the game by telling your children that all nature “obeys” God and listens to His directions. Begin by using any of the first six discussion questions to stimulate thought and provide examples as to how the game is played. Take turns asking questions and providing answers. After everyone has had sufficient turns, use the remaining questions to promote further conversation.
Questions for discussion
- What would happen to a caterpillar if it didn’t listen to God and form a cocoon before winter?
- What would happen if a flower didn’t bloom as God planned?
- What would happen if the bees didn’t bother to store up honey?
- If a beaver didn’t build a dam, what would happen?
- If a coyote chose to sleep all day and night instead of hunting, what would happen to it?
- What would happen to a bird that chose not to fly south for the winter?
- Do you think God gives animals and plants a choice about following His will?
- What do you think having “free will” means?
- Did you know that people are the only creations that God gave a “free will”?
- What actions in life might seem “right” to us, but God would consider wrong?
If animals and plants did not do what God designed them to do, they would die. In a physical sense, we all eat and drink and sleep in order to live, just as the animals do. People are different than animals though, because God gave people a spirit and we can choose to live or die in a spiritual sense. The only creature in nature to have a “free will” is man. Free will means that people are free to choose to live life in their own way or free to choose to live life as God wants us to live.
Choosing to follow God’s way means that we accept God’s plan for our lives. God’s plan includes believing that Jesus is the Son of God. It also means admitting that we are sinful and believing that, through Jesus’ death on the cross, we can have forgiveness of sin. When we ask God to forgive our sins and be the leader of our lives, we give up our right to be the boss of our own lives. If we say we don’t need God to forgive our sins and choose to please ourselves rather than God, we are choosing spiritual death. On the other hand, accepting God’s gift of forgiveness and choosing to live to honour Him, through obeying His commands, is choosing life.
“He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of His work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate – bringing forth food from the earth…”
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
“In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.”
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19-20
“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. …This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”