Everyday objects have the potential to illustrate important biblical concepts like purity and living a holy life. One way to demonstrate God’s standard of holiness is by utilizing this toothbrush object lesson during the teaching portion of sessions. You can present Bible truths a few different ways using a toothbrush. Toothbrushes are inexpensive and perfect for take home gifts, too. During holiday seasons when there’s a lot of emphasis on candy, toothbrushes make thoughtful, useful rewards for kids.
Bible verse: “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21 (New Living Translation)
Key point: It takes special tools to keep ourselves pure and ready for use by God.
You’ll need: Toothbrush, hairbrush and a toilet bowl brush (all should be new)
As you can see guys, I’ve got some special cleaning tools here today. (Hold them up one at a time.) Each one of these items is a brushing tool that does a particular job. If I said, “John, go brush your teeth,” would you pick up this item? (Hold up the toilet brush.) No, of course you wouldn’t! If I said, “Susie, go brush your hair,” would you pick up this item? (Pick up the toothbrush.) No, of course not!
These cleaning tools remind me of a Bible verse that talks about staying clean. Let’s read it together. (Read the verse together.) Wow! That verse says that God will use us for specific tasks but we have to stay clean. Only one of these items cleans the body. Not the toilet brush—yuck! Not the hairbrush, it only keeps your hair smooth. It’s the toothbrush. It fits perfectly inside your mouth and brushes away the germs.
If we want to clean our hearts, do we need a dictionary? No! Do we need some encyclopedias? Of course not! We need God’s Word. This Bible will help uncover all the spiritual germs and like this toothbrush, it keeps us pure and clean. We want to be ready for God to use us, right!
(Send home little toothbrushes with a tag or sticker on the handle. Put the verse on the tag or sticker to remind kids what they learned.)
Read more from Mimi by visiting her blog at Tools for Kids Church.
Toothbrush Bible Object Lesson for Kids (2 Timothy 2:21)
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I LOVE the toothpaste object and scripture! I have used this analogy with the older elementary students that I teach. They understand but don’t follow through… I am definitely using this so they can SEE WHAT I MEAN!! ???? great site!
We are made “clean” by Christ’s blood, we don’t have to “do” anything!! We receive grace because of Gods love for us!! This lesson I fear will confuse children and make them think they have to work at “being clean” that job is done, praise the Lord!!
Excellent point. This lesson is drawing from 2 Timothy 2:21, where personal holiness is required to be useful in the Lord’s service. God saves sinners – but he transforms them as a testimony to his power and grace – and that is part of what make us a blessing to the world as we represent Jesus in daily life.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your feedback!