Today’s object lesson touches upon the different personalities of people and how they are like blankets. Please feel free to alter these comparisons to what you feel works well for your family devotional, family home evening or youth ministry.
Collect all kinds of blankets from around the house or maybe borrow certain ones from friends or family. Some blankets to include is a baby blanket, a quilt, a throw, a sheet and an electronic blanket. Get about ten of them. Also have them as diverse as you can get by thickness, quality and touch.
Have all the blankets before you nicely piled. Have the family or class sit around the pile of blankets.
Now discuss different personally types and compare the various blankets to those personalities. Here are some possible examples. Please feel free to alter the comparisons to the traits you would like to help children recognize in others.
A wool blanket is heavy and often a little prickly to the touch. Some people, even adults can seem a little stand-offish and prickly. Often it is the wool blanket can keep people warm even when it’s wet. It is one of the sturdiest blankets you can find. Some people are prickly and sound a little rough or impatient when we talk to them. But many of those people may not be used to talking to small children and may act impatient. Be their friend and see if they improve with practice.
An electronic blanket requires electricity to work. The nice thing about an electric blanket is it has different temperatures and you can alter the temperature to what you need. Some people might not like the wires going through the blanket because they feel lumpy. Sometimes the cord might not be long enough to reach between the bed and the plug. But the heat can often be the perfect match to your comfort and you can turn the temperature up or down to stop you from getting cold. Many people spend a great deal of time trying to help others feel happy and comfortable. Parents are often like electric blankets working to help their kids feel comfortable and secure.
Some blankets are old and worn. Yet they are often warm and comfortable. Some of our favorite shirts and blankets are our favorites because they’re comfortable or have fond memories attached to them. We don’t care if they’d old when they are so comfortable. Mature adults like our grandparents often look old and worn but can give the greatest hugs.
Many quilts are heavy and bulky but are often quite soft. Some people like the little yarn tie offs on homemade quilts and some people don’t. sometimes quilts are handmade by people we know and so include an emotional attachment. Many quilts or simple and others have elaborate designs. Different people look and act different and provide a wide variety of personalities to match.
A sheet is very light weight. It isn’t often used to keep a person really warm. It’s often used to provide a slight protection against the chill. That is their purpose and there are some people we meet only briefly and they can make a temporary positive influence on our lives before they move on.
Baby blankets if often reserved for babies or small children and because of their small size they can be more easily managed by small hands and bodies. That is the reason they are so popular. So little children might have small hands and bodies but have fun personalities that can be a great contribution to the family.
A throw is often a light weight blanket almost as light as a sheet and often smaller than a bed. They often used to cover someone who is relaxing on a couch. They might be useful for taking a nap. They are often made of very soft material such as fleece or cotton. Sometimes we might share a casual friendship with someone who shares a common interest.
Many woven blankets made from a loom have a tight weave. There are many people who don’t talk much. They are very private and will be more comfortable in sharing information about themselves once they get to know you. Let them have the time they need to open up.
