Character Object Lessons

Courage Badges

This object lesson should take only 2 to 5 minutes. Suitable for all ages – adapt wording as necessary.

You will need:

• 1 large courage badge cut of cardstock. Use larger pattern provided below.

• Enough small courage badges for each listener to receive one at the end of the lesson. Use smaller pattern provided below.

• Safety pins to attach courage badges What to do:

1. Read the whole lesson ahead of time so you will be familiar with it.

2. Begin by pinning the large courage badge on yourself. Let your listeners be curious while you wait for silent attention.

3. Point to the badge.

4. Ask: “Can anyone tell me what color this badge is?”

“That’s right. It’s red.”

5. Say: “It’s red because this is a Courage Badge. Many people in the world use the color red to symbolize courage. Many flags have red in them to show that the people of that nation believe courage is important.”

“Sometimes people don’t understand what real courage is, though. Sometimes people say you have courage when what you really have is bravery.“

“People who have built real courage stand up for what’s right.”

6. Say: “To have courage, you learn what’s right and wrong, and then you choose always to do right, even when everyone else is doing wrong.”

7. Say: “What’s that mean? Let’s think about it for a minute.”

8. Use different voices to dramatize this illustration:

You and two friends are sitting in your room. One friend says, “I smell cookies. Let’s go get some.” He starts toward the kitchen. “We’re not allowed,” you yell. “My mother baked them for a party.” “We’re not going to eat them all!” your friend yells back. “She’ll have plenty for her party.” “She’ll have plenty,” says the second friend, jumping up. “Come on. Let’s go get some.” You follow them to the kitchen, telling them to stop. “Come on!” you plead. “That’s stealing. It isn’t right to steal.”

Both friends laugh. “What are you? A wimp? Here, eat a cookie.” They each take 3 cookies and start eating them, laughing at you. They mock you. Then they say if you’re such a coward that you won’t eat one little cookie, they’re going home. They don’t want to be friends with a coward. It’s time to exercise courage. You refuse, and your friends go home.

9. Say: “Courage chooses to do right, even when everyone else does wrong.”

10. Say: “It might not be cookies. Your friends might try to force you to smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. They might try to make you use drugs, telling you that you’re a coward if you won’t. Sometimes, friends create a test for anyone wanting to be in their group. They might ask you to shoplift a piece of clothing.

11. Say: All of those things are wrong. Other people might say you’re a coward if you won’t try them, but the truth is, those who refuse to do wrong show real courage.

12. Say: “I’m going to give each of you a courage badge. I hope you will keep your Courage Badge for a long time. Put it where you can see it every day. Look at it often, and let it remind you always to do what is right, even when everyone else is doing what is wrong. Show courage! Stand up for what is right!”

Christian workers may want to link this lesson to the following Bible verse: “...so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. Philippians 4:1