Fresh baked cookies can reflect God’s creative design.
Things You’ll Need:
Supplies for baking cookies or store-bought cookie dough
A Cookie Cutter
Toppings for decorations (Sprinkles, Icing, etc.)
Faith Talk
Children love cookies. If cookies are baking in the oven, it’s amazing how a child’s sense of smell is heightened and scents can travel great distances! Take advantage of this baking cookies activity and plan a family discussion about being made in God’s image. Gather the family to prepare and roll out cookie dough. Using a pre-selected cookie shape, take turns pressing the cutter into the dough and transferring the shape to a cookie sheet. Decorate the cookies if desired. While the cookies are baking, discuss how the singular cutter shape was used repeatedly. Likewise, every person is created in God’s image or likeness. The dictionary defines “image” as a physical likeness or representation of a personal, animal, or thing, whether photographed, painted, or sculptured.
The cookie cutter consistently resulted in a similar shape each time. Although the cookie never became a cookie cutter, it reflected the shape of the cutter’s impression into the dough. Likewise, we reflect or represent who God is and what He is like to others. When we become a Christian, He takes us, forms us, and impresses His likeness on us. The word Christian means “little Christ”, and we bear His likeness in us! And, as the cookies are baked, we recognize that although all cookies bear the same shape, each cookie reflects the shape differently as it is baking because of the different topping and decorations. We are all created in His image, but reflect Him uniquely. We are designed to look like Him and, yet, to look like Him in a variety of ways.
Notice the slight and obvious differences as the cookies cool. Take the opportunity to affirm the positive character traits in each of your family members. Encourage each other as you suggest ways God could use those qualities to reflect God’s character to others. How could God use your differences to reflect Him? Maybe you could bake cookies for a neighbor or help a friend study for a test. Maybe you could babysit for a parent that needs a break. Think of ways you can reflect Jesus to others.
Pray as a family and thank God for the privilege of showing the world who Jesus is!