I CORINTHIANS

This week we work on caring and sharing.

Home Activities:

• Memorize the verse: 13:13 ages 3-7, 12:14  ages 8-10, 10:13 middle school. Remember that the word puzzle is for the 8-10 memory work.
• Read the whole chapter aloud each day.
• Review the story of stone soup; can you make some with your child?
• Color the picture of the pot; cut out pictures of vegetables from magazines and glue below.
• Your child should have decided on some action to take this week (Hint: it’s on the mobile!); work with him to ensure its completion.
• Sing “A New Commandment.”

Prayer: Lord, let me love my neighbor today, as You love me.

First Corinthians 12:14

Paul wrote in Greek to the Greek-speaking city of Corinth. Solve this cryptogram with Greek letters to find your memory verse:

Stone Soup: A Lesson in Sharing

Many years ago three hungry soldiers were returning home from the wars. One day, as they came out of the forest, they saw a small village. Along the village lane they saw three shops: there was a bakery, a carpenter's shop and a tailor's shop.

The eldest of the three soldiers, the sergeant, told the soldiers to be cheerful. He was sure the kind people of the village would share their dinner with them. The soldiers knew their sergeant was a wise man. They were not worried. They knew he was right and they would soon have something to eat.

     The sergeant knocked on the first door. It was the tailor's shop. The door was opened and a woman stood before them. "Can I help you?" she asked.

     The soldiers replied, "Can you spare us some food? We have not eaten for some time and we are still far from home."

     The woman told them that the harvest had been bad and that she had no food to spare.

The soldiers turned to the next door. They hoped that they would have better luck there. But instead, the baker's wife told them she was sorry to see them hungry but that everyone had to look out for himself in days like these.

     Even in the third shop, they were turned away by the carpenter. And he told them that he did not believe in sharing.

     "What selfish people these are!" said the sergeant. "They do not know how to share. We must teach these people a lesson."

     "Shall we steal from them?" asked the soldiers.

     "No, no. We shall only teach these people how to make "stone soup."

     Soon they built a fire in the middle of the lane. They hung their kettle over the fire and filled it with water. They gathered some stones, washed them and put them in the water. Then the sergeant stirred the water, so that the stones rattled in the pot. He took a taste of the new soup and said, "This is good but some potatoes would surely bring out the flavor of the stones."

     Just then the baker said that there were a few potatoes in his shop. He would run and get them.

     "Oh, thank you. And bring a bowl so that you may join in our dinner," called the sergeant.

     Once the potatoes had been added to the soup, the soup was tasted again. This time one of the soldiers thought a carrot and some onions might make the soup more colorful. The tailor ran at once to get them and when he returned he had even found some salt to add to the pot. He was delighted as he added his offerings to the soup. He too was asked to join them for dinner.

     "Now," said the soldiers, "we shall have the final taste. Mmm-it is good, but perhaps a piece of meat would make it extra good."

     The carpenter scratched his beard and thought. Then he remembered a piece of meat he had been saving for a special dinner. He went back to his shop and returned with the meat.

     When the "stone soup" was ready, it was so good, that the carpenter asked for the recipe.

     The sergeant answered by saying, "You have fine stones to cook with in this village. But the real secret of good stone soup is the sharing that everyone does to make it good."

As they sat together and enjoyed their meal they knew that the soldiers and their wise sergeant had taught them a lesson about sharing. It was a lesson they would never forget.

Have you made any stone soup lately?