Forgiveness

Bitter roots

Fun with food

Sample a bitter food – ginger, horseradish, lemon or lime.

Discussion point: Nurturing grudges and unforgiveness destroys our relationships; God helps us forgive.

Have your children taste a bitter, non-poisonous root such as ginger. Alternatively, use some horseradish, lemon juice or lime juice. Have something sweet on hand for your children to eat to remove the bitter taste. Then read Hebrews 12:14-15.

Questions for discussion
  • Do you prefer a bitter or a sweet taste?
  • How did you make the bad taste in your mouth go away?
  • How can we make sure no bitter roots grow up in our family and among our friends?
Key concepts

One of Satan’s favourite tools to cause discord in families and churches is the root of bitterness. It happens easily: one person does wrong to another without realizing it and then the person who feels wronged holds a grudge. Pretty soon everyone is so busy being bitter towards each other, they forget to love each other.

If we miss the grace of God, we harbour grudges and do not forgive. On the other hand, when we share the grace of God with others, we readily forgive before the other person asks our forgiveness.

Holding grudges and not forgiving puts a bad taste in our relationships like the ________ (bitter tasting food). When we forgive others, it is like the ________ (sweet treat). When you ate the ________, it helped to take the bad taste out of your mouth. Just as the sweet taste took away the bitter taste, so God can remove unforgiveness from our hearts and replace it with love.

Relevant Scripture

Hebrews 12:14-15 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”