The Unspoken Lessons

I am always amazed at implicit learning that happens Godly Play stories. We finished the last lectionary reading about bread (so much bread in August!) in worship today- and the children have been paying attention. Last week when I took out the parable box and wondered what was inside, a child said “maybe it is bread!” I wish I had thought of that!

This week I told the story of Godly Play and World Communion because the good shepherd is in the bread and cup. When I asked where the table was, one child said heaven. Another said behind us.  We haven’t explicitly taught either of things, and yet the children know them.

As we sat on the floor during the sermon one of the children took the container that holds the tiny Godly Play bread and cup, held it up and whispered to me, “I wonder what is in this box?” And then he would open it and pretend to drink every last drop from the cup. He did this over and over again, because he can imagine that the cup will always be full. He has learned that the cup of God’s grace is for him. He has learned implicitly that this cup will never be empty.

My heart is full up.