Bag of Bricks | Forgiveness Character Time Activity

Bag of Bricks | Forgiveness Activity

Forgiveness is: “giving up feelings of anger and bitterness against those who offend me, and not holding a grudge.” This means letting go of being angry or upset with someone for something they did to you or to someone you love. It doesn’t always mean that your relationship is restored, but you are choosing not to stay upset or let what they did affect you in a bad way.

Supplies Needed:
1 backpack per child
Bricks or large books

Tell your child to put the backpack on and then slowly start adding bricks (or large books) until it is heavy enough to be difficult for your child to carry, but not too heavy. Have them walk around the room with the backpack on. Then let them take the backpack off and walk around the room again. Ask them if it was easier with or without the backpack.

Talk About It: When we don’t forgive, we might not have an actual backpack that we carry around, but we do carry around hurt, anger, bitterness, and grudges. Every time we don’t forgive, it’s like we’re adding to that load. When someone does something wrong to someone close to us, it might hurt us as well. But it’s important that we choose to forgive rather than carry that hurt around with us, which lets it get worse. When someone says or does something mean, don’t hold on to that hurt or anger. Instead, choose to let go and forgive.

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22