Attention Getter:  Tell the children that yeast is a leavening agent used in bread dough to make the bread light and airy. Explain that when yeast is put into warm water, it begins to grow or increase. Ask the children what they think will happen if sugar is added to the mixture. (If these ingredients are available, combine them to demonstrate what happens.) Explain that the yeast grows when it is put in a warm, moist environment but that it grows even more rapidly if it has sugar to feed on. Tell the children that there are certain elements that, when used together, increase our faith, much like the water and the sugar combine to help the yeast grow. 

(Another object lesson instead of above): Explain that you have two plastic bottles - they look the same but there is a difference. The one with the cap on is filled with something, something you can’t see, but its there. The other bottle is empty. Now for the experiment - have someone pick up the empty bottle and try and squeeze it as hard as you can - see if you can crush it, twist it, break it. Come on - really squeeze. I saw a lot of squashed bottles. Now lets try the capped bottle - lets try and do the same thing - lets see if we can squash that bottle. Come on put your muscles into it. What happened? (The capped bottle wouldn’t crush.) That’s because its filled with faith. You might have been able to bend it a little bit but it kept going back, the faith was stronger than we were. Faith is what helps helps us survive. Faith itself can not be seen, but what faith produces can easily be seen, such as strength, courage, peace of mind. The story we’re about to tell is about a ordinary girl named Esther who grew up as an orphan. Esther’s faith helped her grow into an extraordinary woman who through God faced her fears to stand up and speak for her nation. (This leads right in to telling the story of Esther).

- What does it mean to be brave or courageous? 

Listen to this story about Queen Esther and see if you can tell me how she was courageous: (You could use these flannel board figures to tell the story of Esther)

Esther was a beautiful young woman.  The king chose her to be his queen. Haman was the kings highest officer, and he didn't like the Jews who lived in his country. Haman had planned to kill all of the Jews. Esther was worried when she found out about his plan. She was also a Jew. Esther wanted to tell the king about Haman's evil plan, but she couldn't go right in to see him. If she went in without the king calling her, the law said that she would be killed. The only way she would live was if the king would hold out his scepter to her. Esther took that chance. She bravely walked right in to see the king. Everyone was shocked! What would the king do? He lowered his scepter to Esther, and she touched it. When Esther told the king about Haman's evil plan, the king had Haman killed and Esther saved her people.
 

- Why was Esther afraid to walk up to the king?

- What does it mean when someone is against you?  (They don't agree with you or want to go along with you; they may want to cause you trouble)

- Can you think of a time when it felt like someone was against you and you had to be brave?  (A friend wouldn't be your friend anymore?  Someone wouldn't help you when you needed it?  Someone hurt you on purpose?)

Music:  “Faith” (Children’s Songbook, p. 96)

Game:   Crossword Puzzle - Esther, the Lovely Queen...you could enlarge this and put it on butcher paper or draw it on the chalkboard. 

Optional Activities: (depending on time and resources)

Give children pieces of paper and have each write down a situation where someone would need courage to choose the right...such as breaking the Sabbath, swearing, taking drugs or eating unhealthfully, being unkind, etc., and place them in a paper sack. Say, “Like Esther, we must represent our people and have the courage to do what is right. What would you do in the following situations?” In turn, have the children pick a paper, read it aloud, and answer the question.

Before the game hand out cards with the words Esther's Faith, Esther's Hope, Esther's Courage, and Esther's Patience on them (enough for each team to find one).  Teams must rank the “ingredients” above in order of importance. Put a “1” next to the most important, a “2” next to the second most important etc….Then together with your team go out to “find” your ingredients. You need to find the ingredients in the order you ranked them. Ask members of your church if they have the ingredient Esther had that you are looking for. For example, ask “Do you have Esther’s courage?” If they say yes they will give you a card with the required ingredient. Take the card and place it in its spot on your team board. If they say no you will need to go to another member to ask for the needed ingredient until you find the ingredient you are looking for. You must find the ingredients in the order you ranked them. When your team finds all its ingredients everyone on your team will get a “surprise”. (Optional: You can buy a package of lifesavers (individually wrapped).  Put one lifesaver on handout to telling them that this is to remind them of how Esther saved the Jews from destruction.)

Make foil scepters to remember how God helped Esther when she bravely went to the king.  Scrunch up foil to make a royal scepter. You may have to explain what a scepter is.

Discuss principles in the thirteenth article of faith that children should emulate, such as honesty, truth, chastity, etc. Have the children draw a shield of courage, using the words of the article of faith in their designs to remind them that they have the courage and strength to choose the right.

Talk to older kids about the importance of being beautiful on the inside. So often we look at others on the outside and we compare. God tells us that He looks at our heart and how we treat others. That is the measuring stick to show how beautiful we really are.

Possible handout idea : Hamantaschen - They are small triangular pastries (you could even just make triangular sugar cookies).  Anyway, explain that these treats are traditionally made during Jewish holidays.  The Hamantaschen is also called "Haman's hats" after Haman, who's plot was foiled at the last minute.

Conclusion:  Testify of the importance of standing up to what you know is true, even and especially when it is hard.  Tell them that Esther had great courage and overcame her fears through prayer and fasting.  Just like Esther, they too can be blessed for their courage.
 

MY SOURCES:

- Christian Crafters
- July 1972 Friend - Esther, the Lovely Queen
- NAD Children's Ministries (Christian Site)
- Primary Manual 6, Lesson 38
- Scriptures
- Teaching, No Greater Call