Set apart-ness. Holiness

I had to describe to my eight year old son what it meant that God was ‘Holy and set apart.’

This idea starter is what came out as an answer.

Some people have crockery, special crockery.  It only comes out at special occasions like Christmas or when there is a special family occasion.  But unlike things like trophies that get put away in a cabinet, or valuable oil paintings which are roped off and you can’t get near, that crockery is meant to be used.

In fact, if you don’t use it then there is little point in having it.

How we approach God is similar, and yet sometimes different, to special crockery.  He is set apart.  He is different.  He is not the same as we are.  We would do well to remember that he is different from us and not treat him with disrespect.  But at the same time he isn’t like the dusty old trophy that sits in the cabinet and is never touched.  God is there for us all the while.  Special, yet can be known and experienced every single day.

Unlike crockery you can’t break God.  And whilst we must treat him with special respect he loves to be with us.  More than that, if we don’t include him in our every day lives it actually makes him sad.

Other ideas that you can add in your own way to make this a dynamic assembly

Take along your own ‘special’ crockery, or trophies.

Get the children to tell you about the special plates and saucers that they or grandparents might have.

Show pictures of Royal crockery, and compare it to the news story that the queen likes to have her breakfast on a scrappy old tray! Image 1, image 2
Show a video or cutting of the ‘antiques road show’ : this one is from an estimation of Peanuts cartoon drawings (get the kids to guess the value before you start… they are after all just drawings)- ask the children why these things might be special.  Is it to do what the value, or what things mean to people.
Get the children/young people to consider what it means to be set apart or holy.
When you are telling the children about your crockery ham up the risk of breaking the plates and how you would feel if you did break it.  Perhaps you wish that you didn’t have to hold it!

Song potential – Doug horley, ‘lets make God happy with the way we live our daily lives’