This lesson teaches children that God sees how people treat others, and that proud and greedy choices do not last forever. It is written for children roughly 5 to 11, and the whole lesson takes about 20 to 30 minutes with a parent or volunteer teacher.
Big Idea
Being greedy and mean to others may seem fun for a while, but God is always fair, and He is the one who makes things right in the end.
Memory Verse
Job 20:5
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
(WEB)
Hold your hands out in front of you, then slowly close them into fists as you say the words. Open them wide again to show how quickly something can be gone.
The Story: Job 20 for Kids
Job had three friends who came to talk with him while he was suffering. One of them, a man named Zophar, spoke up next. Zophar was sure that bad people always get what they deserve, and he wanted Job to hear it. He told Job that a wicked man might feel very happy and important for a little while.
Zophar described a rich man who had gathered lots of things for himself. This man was proud, as tall as the sky, and he thought nothing could ever touch him. But Zophar said that his happiness would vanish like a dream when the morning comes. People who once saw him would look for him, and he would be nowhere to be found.
Zophar also talked about the man’s stolen treasure and his sneaky, bad choices. He said the man ate his riches like something sweet, but later it turned sour in his stomach, like poison. Zophar warned that God would take away everything the man had grabbed unfairly. Zophar said, in his own words, “Look how quickly the joy of bad people fades away!”
Zophar also pointed out that the rich man had treated poor people badly and taken their homes. Zophar said that because the man never found peace inside himself, he could not keep the things he loved. Zophar believed that trouble would come on him, and God would not leave him alone.
Zophar’s speech ended by saying that this is the portion God gives a wicked person. It is what the wicked person’s own actions bring on him. Zophar thought Job should listen and learn from it.
Read It Together
Job 20:12-13
12 “Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue, 13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth…
(WEB)
Point out how the sweet taste of wrong choices can seem good at first. Ask children why a secret sin might feel tempting, and why a sweet taste does not mean it is safe to keep.
Job 20:19
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
(WEB)
Show children that taking from people who are weak is wrong, and that God notices. Talk about how we can share and help people who have less, instead of taking from them.
Job 20:27
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.
(WEB)
Explain that nothing can be hidden from God. Let children know that God sees everything and that they can always bring their worries and sins to Him honestly.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that might look fun or exciting at first but turns out to be bad for you?
- Why do you think it is hard to share with someone when you want something for yourself?
- How did Zophar say that the rich man’s happiness would end?
- What can you do this week to help someone who has less than you?
- Why is it good to know that God sees everything we do?
Activity Ideas
Treasure Chest Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a small box or cup. Have each child draw a treasure chest and write or draw something they can give away, like a toy, a hug, or some food. Talk about how giving brings joy that lasts longer than hoarding things.
Musical Sharing Game
Gather a few small toys or pieces of paper and a radio or a clap rhythm. Let children pass the items around while music plays, and stop the music at random. Whoever holds an item must give it to someone else, showing that generosity keeps good things moving.
Take-Home Kindness Jar
You will need a clean jar and small slips of paper. Ask the family to write one kind act they did each day and drop it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes together and thank God for helping them be generous and fair.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Zophar’s speech shows a common view from his time: that the wicked always suffer quickly and the righteous always prosper. The book of Job as a whole challenges that view, since Job himself is innocent and suffers. Read this chapter as one friend’s argument, one that God later corrects in the book.
With children, avoid suggesting that every rich person is wicked or that every hardship is a punishment for sin. Keep the focus on God’s fairness, the value of kindness to the poor, and the comfort that God sees and cares for each person.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for seeing everything we do, even when no one else is watching. Help us to be kind and generous, and to share what we have with others. When we want things that are not ours, teach us to trust You instead. Amen.
