I grew up in the age of Bambi – the famous deer from the Disney movie. Bambi and his animal friends were portrayed with all the inherent human thoughts, feelings, desires, and choices. So in the movie, when we saw and heard with vivid clarity the death of Bambi’s mother at the hands of the hunter…well, it left a lasting impression on children like myself. Bambi and his mother were just like me, right? How would I feel? Fast forward to the present. The headlines are consumed with the news of the death of Cecil the lion at the hands of a hunter. People—including children—have been protesting outside the home of the hunter. One of the protest signs is reported to have said: “Hunt the hunter.” Did the protester really mean to say that? That is tragic, yet not surprising coming from a generation informed by Bambi and his animal friends. The far greater tragedy is what isn’t in the headlines of most media outlets: the murder, dismemberment, and sale of harvested organs of millions of unborn babies. Babies. Human beings created in the image and likeness of God. Will our children grow up knowing the difference between lions and babies? Will they really know and comprehend what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God, and all that it entails? Sadly, it wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I received sound biblical teaching that finally dispelled my “life according to Bambi” worldview. Here is a free lesson for young children (5-8 year olds) from our curriculum, He Has Been Clearly Seen: A Study for Children on Seeing and Delighting in God’s Glory. The lesson helps answer these questions biblically:
- How are humans different than all other created things?
- What does it mean to be created in God’s image and likeness?
- When does life begin? Who is at work in the womb?
- Why did God create us in His image and likeness—for what purpose?
- How should this change how we live?
(Image courtesy of hyena reality at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)
