CLASS NOTE: LIVING LIKE JESUS – WHAT A CHRISTIAN SHOULD NOT DO

Subject: Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Class: Nursery Three (Ages 4–5) Theme: Christian Living and Character Development Curriculum: Nigerian Hybrid (Integrating Nigerian Values and Global Best Practices)

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1. THE GARDEN OF OUR HEART (Introduction)

Imagine that inside your chest, you have a beautiful garden. When we choose to follow Jesus, our garden is filled with bright, colorful flowers and sweet, juicy fruits like love, joy, and peace. This is how God wants our hearts to look!

However, sometimes we might feel like doing things that are not kind. These wrong actions are like "weeds" in our garden. Weeds are messy, they poke us, and they stop the beautiful flowers from growing. To keep our heart gardens beautiful for Jesus, we must learn which things are "weeds" so we can stop them from growing. Just like a traffic light tells a car to STOP at a red light, God’s Word tells us to STOP when we are about to do something wrong.

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2. COMPREHENSIVE CORE CONCEPTS: THE FOUR "WEEDS" TO AVOID

I. We Do Not Hurt Others (No Fighting, Pushing, or Biting)

A Christian is a follower of Jesus. One of the biggest names for Jesus is the "Prince of Peace." This means Jesus loves it when we are calm and kind. Our hands and feet were given to us by God to do good things, like hugging our parents, building with blocks, or helping a friend get up when they fall.

When we are angry because a friend took our toy, we might feel like hitting or biting. But a Christian should not use their body to hurt others. Every person you see was made by God and is very special to Him. When we hurt a friend, we are hurting someone God loves. Instead of using "hitting hands," we should use our "mighty words" to say, "I am sad because you took my toy," or go and ask a teacher for help.

II. We Do Not Take What Is Not Ours (No Stealing)

Sometimes we see something very pretty, like a shiny toy car or a tasty biscuit, that belongs to someone else. We might think, "I want that! I will take it while no one is looking." But taking something that does not belong to you is called stealing, and a Christian should not do it.

Even if it is just a small pencil or a single sweet, taking it makes the other person feel very sad and worried. It also means people cannot trust us. God wants us to be happy with the things He has given us. If you really want to play with something, the right thing to do is to ask politely: "Please, may I play with this?" If they say "No," we must be patient and wait our turn.

III. We Do Not Tell "Tall Tales" (No Lying)

Lying is when we say something happened when it really didn't. For example, if you accidentally spill water on the floor and say, "The dog did it," even though you know you did it, that is a lie. A Christian should not tell lies because God is the Truth.

Think of the truth like bright sunshine and a lie like a dark, heavy cloud. When we tell the truth, our hearts feel light and happy. Even if we are a little bit scared that we might get in trouble for a mistake, telling the truth shows that we are brave and honest. Parents and teachers are always much happier when children tell the truth because it helps them trust you more.

IV. We Do Not Use "Ouchy" Words (No Name-Calling or Shouting)

Our mouths were made for two wonderful things: speaking kind words and singing praises to God! A Christian should not use "ouchy" words. These are mean words that make people feel small, sad, or ashamed. This includes calling people names, saying "I hate you," or shouting rudely at our elders (mummies, daddies, and teachers).

In Nigeria, we value respect very much. We respect our elders and our friends. Using bad words is not the way Jesus wants us to talk. Instead of "ouchy" words, we should use "honey words"—words that are sweet, helpful, and make people smile.

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3. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES (How to Handle Situations)

• Scenario 1: The Playground Tussle

  • The Situation: You are waiting for the swing, and another child jumps in front of you.
  • What NOT to do: Do not push them off the swing or call them a "bad child."
  • What a Christian DOES: Take a deep breath. Say, "It was my turn, please can I go next?" If they don't listen, tell the teacher.

• Scenario 2: The Found Money

  • The Situation: You find a 100 Naira note on the floor in the living room.
  • What NOT to do: Do not hide it in your socks to buy ice cream later.
  • What a Christian DOES: Pick it up and take it straight to Mommy or Daddy. Say, "I found this on the floor; I want to make sure the owner gets it back."

• Scenario 3: The Messy Room

  • The Situation: You accidentally knocked over a flower vase while playing.
  • What NOT to do: Do not run away and pretend you were in the kitchen the whole time.
  • What a Christian DOES: Go to an adult and say, "I am sorry, I was playing and I knocked the vase over. I will help you clean it up."

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4. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: THE "STOP AND THINK" METHOD

When you feel like doing something you shouldn't, follow these three steps:

1. STOP (Red Light): Don't move your hands or open your mouth yet. Freeze like a statue!
2. THINK (Yellow Light): Ask yourself, "Would Jesus be happy with this? Is this a weed or a flower?"
3. GO (Green Light): Only do it if it is kind, true, and helpful.

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5. SUGGESTED HOME PROJECTS: THE KINDNESS JAR

Objective: To practice choosing "flowers" (good actions) over "weeds" (wrong actions).

Materials Needed:

• A clear plastic jar or a clean jam jar.
• A handful of dried beans, small stones, or colorful pom-poms.

Procedure:

1. Place the jar in a visible spot in the house (like the dining table).
2. Every time the child makes a Good Choice (e.g., they didn't hit when angry, they told the truth about a mistake, or they shared a toy), they get to put one bean in the jar.
3. The Goal: When the jar is full, the whole family celebrates with a small treat, like an extra bedtime story or a trip to the park.
4. Learning Point: This shows that choosing NOT to do wrong things leads to a heart full of joy and rewards!

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6. LIFE SKILLS INTEGRATION

• Self-Control: Learning what not to do helps children develop the "brakes" in their brain. This is a vital skill for doing well in school and being a leader.
• Integrity: By choosing not to lie or steal, children build a "Good Name." In the real world, people love to work with and be friends with honest people.
• Empathy: By avoiding "ouchy" words and hitting, children learn to think about how others feel. This makes them great friends and kind neighbors.

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7. ASSESSMENT THROUGH APPLICATION (Parents/Teachers)

To see if the student understands, try these activities:

1. The Thumbs Up/Down Game: Read a list of actions. The child must put Thumbs Up for things a Christian should do and Thumbs Down for things they should NOT do.
   • Examples: Sharing a snack (Up), Hitting a brother (Down), Telling the truth about a broken toy (Up), Taking a pencil from a friend's bag (Down).
2. The Role-Play: Use two teddy bears. Have one bear "lie" to the other. Ask the child to explain to the bear why lying is a "weed" and help the bear say the truth instead.

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8. STUDENT REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• How does your heart feel when you tell a lie? (Does it feel heavy or light?)
• Why do you think God wants us to use "honey words" instead of "ouchy words"?
• If you see a toy you really like that belongs to a friend, what is the best thing to do?
• Who can you pray to when you feel like being mean or angry?

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9. CONCLUSION & PRAYER

Being a Christian means trying our best to live like Jesus. When we avoid fighting, stealing, lying, and mean words, our "heart garden" stays beautiful and our light shines brightly for everyone to see!

Closing Prayer: "Dear God, help my hands to be kind, my mouth to speak the truth, and my heart to love everyone. Thank You for showing me the right way to live. Amen."