“Oh Father,” said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the side of a pool, “I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it had hoofs divided in two.”
“Tush, child, tush,” said the old Frog, “that was only Farmer White’s Ox. It isn’t so big either; he may be a little bit taller than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you see.” So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew himself out. “Was he as big as that?” asked he.
“Oh, much bigger than that,” said the young Frog.
Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if the Ox was as big as that.
“Bigger, father, bigger,” was the reply.
So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew, and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: “I’m sure the Ox is not as big as, But at this moment he burst.
Source: Aesop’s Fables
Take it to the next level
Draw the face of an ox on a white balloon and a frog’s face onto two green balloons in permanent marker. It helps if the balloon used for the ox is of a larger size. Fully inflate the Ox balloon and set it aside for the group to see as you tell the story. inflate one frog balloon just enough to make it visible. The other frog balloon inflate to a larger size, but not near as large as the ox. Then as you tell the story, keep inflating the larger frog balloon until it bursts.
Scripture and Pride
Pride sets people in opposition to each other and to God. A proud person sets himself above those around him and follows his own will rather than God’s will. Pride will end in destruction, but when we are humble God himself will lift us up.
- Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, Matt. 23: 12
- Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Prov. 16: 18
- Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. – Proverbs 26:12
- But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 10:17
- Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. – Proverbs 18:12
- “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6
- Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you – James 4: 10
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.