Getting Our Roots Deep

Gather the children in a circle with their sunflower cups.

“Boys and girls, look at your little plants. Some of you already have tiny green leaves. But today we’re going to talk about something even more important than the leaves you can see. We’re going to talk about roots — the quiet, hidden part that holds everything up.”

Jesus once told a story about a farmer planting seeds. Some seeds fell on the path, some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorns, and some fell into good soil.

Ask: “What do you think happened to the seeds that fell on the rocky ground?” “What about the seeds that fell among the thorns?”

“The seeds on rocky ground grew fast at first, but they had no deep roots. When the sun got hot, they withered. The seeds among the thorns got choked by weeds. But the seeds planted in good soil grew deep roots and produced a harvest.”

“This is why we can’t just throw seeds on the ground and hope they grow. They need good soil and time for strong roots. The same is true for us. We need deep roots in Jesus and in God’s Word so we can stand strong when hard days come.”

Invite the children to look closely at their own plants. If possible, show a sprout with visible roots (or carefully lift one plant to show the white roots).

“See how the roots hold the plant in place and drink the water? Quiet and strong. That’s what deep roots look like.”

Just like these sunflowers need deep roots to grow strong, we need deep roots in Jesus and God’s Word. The deeper our roots grow, the stronger we become when the sun gets hot or the wind blows. God is the One who makes those roots grow in us, too.