The Right Stuff

Good morning! Can anyone here tell me what this is (holding up the basketball). That's right, it is a basketball. OK, now, who can tell me what this is (holding up the bowling ball). That right, this is a bowling ball.

Tell me, what would happen if I dropped this bowling ball right now? Would it bounce back up, or would it hit the floor with a thud? That's right, it would hit the floor and pretty much stay there wouldn't it? Bowling balls aren't very good at bouncing back up.

Now (grab the basketball) what would happen if I dropped this basketball? Would it bounce back up, or would it hit the floor and stay down? Exactly, it will bounce right back up. Maybe not quite as high, but it still bounces back when it hits the bottom.

Now, why will the basketball bounce back up and the bowling ball won't? (give the kids a chance to shout out their answers). Well those are all great answers. I am sure that there are really smart people in the church today that can explain to us that the density and composition of the basketball is key to its ability to bounce...blah blah blah The simple fact is that the basketball is made of the right stuff. The basketball has what it takes to bounce back. The bowling ball, doesn't.

God made us like that. When things aren't going too well for us we can either be the basketball or the bowling ball. We can choose to either hit the floor and stay there, or we can bounce back to where we were before. We can do that because we are made of the right stuff. God gave us the strength to overcome that which brings us down. He gave us courage when we are afraid. He gave us the ability to bounce back.

So remember this the next time you are feeling down. Next time you are sad, angry, lonely. Remember that you can bounce back. You can do it and God can help.

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the right stuff to bounce back. And we promise that the next time we are feeling down, that we will remember your gift to us and use it to get ourselves back up to where we should be. Thank you God for filling us with the right stuff. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.