The Wonder of Five

Part 1:

Sarah had never really considered how often she used the number five.  But that Sunday at church she heard the Pastor talk about the first 5 commandments that God gave to Moses.  She remembered that the Jewish Rabbi from the synagogue in her town had talked about the Ten Commandments too when the children from her Christian church came to visit the synagogue.  But he called them the Ten Statements of God instead of commandments.  He said they told the Jewish people how to honor God and live together in a healthy community.  She knew the Commandments were important reminders for people that love God.  

As she was thinking about all this the Pastor invited everyone to pray with him as he led them in praying the Lord’s Prayer.  Sarah looked down at her hands as she prepared to pray and noticed she had 5 fingers on each hand. She folded her hands together interlocking her 10 fingers as she bowed her head to pray.  I could remember one commandment for each finger she thought.   How beautifully her hands and fingers fit together when she prayed.  She smiled and thanked God for two hands with five fingers on each one.

When she got home from Church that Sunday she opened her Bible to find the 10 commandments in the book of Exodus 20:2-17.  Her Pastor and the Rabbi had told the children the 10 Commandments in simple words that would be easy to remember.  Sarah had written down these words so she could learn them.  The first five were listed in this way.

1. Put God first.
2. Worship God only.
3. Use God’s name with respect.
4. Remember God’s Sabbath.
5. Respect your parents.

Sarah held up her left hand and pointed at one finger after another as she recited the first 5 commandments.  She started with her little finger and said, “Put God first.”  Then she pointed to the next finger beside it and said, “Worship God only.”  She pointed to the tallest finger right in the middle and said, “Use God’s name with respect.”  Now she was pointing to the fourth finger while she said, “Remember God’s Sabbath.”  Finally she pointed at her thumb, the fifth finger and said, “Respect your parents.”  Sarah smiled at her hand and said, “ these five fingers that God has given me will help me to honor God.”  She realized that her hands that helped her worship could also be good reminders of God’s directions for her life.

Discussion questions for part 1:

1. What does it mean to treat someone with honor?
2. How can you tell that Sarah liked to listen and learn?
3. What does it mean to use God’s name with respect?
4. What was Sarah’s plan to remember what she had learned? 

Part 2:

Sarah couldn’t wait to tell her family at supper that night the new way she could remember the first five Commandments.  Just then, her Mom called her come and help her in the kitchen.  Since dinner was almost ready, Sarah hurried to set the table for her family.  She set out 5 plates and 5 glasses, 5 spoons, 5 forks and 5 knives,  She smiled to herself thinking, “there’s that number five again.” 

When she told her family at supper about the new way of remembering, her family thought it was a wonderful idea.  Her older brother suggested that he could remember the names of his five senses using the same idea.  He quickly used his hand to recall the names of the five senses.  Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touch.  Sarah said, “We can thank God for all those too. “  Her little sister Kate said, “Look, there are five of us too.”  Their Mom smiled and said, “And let’s hold hands and ask the blessing.  Their Dad bowed his head and thanked God for His many wonderful blessings.  He gave Sarah’s hand a gentle squeeze at the end of the prayer.  She knew he was glad that she had shared her new way of remembering.

That evening, Sarah, read the other five Commandments.  She looked at her right hand and spoke the last five commandments out loud.

6.   Do not hurt other people.

7.   Be faithful in marriage.

8.   Do not steal.

9.   Do not lie.

10.  Do not be envious of others. 

As she finished, she thanked God for helping her learn new things in a special way.  Sarah decided in her heart that this month of May was going to be a very good month for learning.  Sarah smiled as she remembered that May was the fifth month of the year.  She laughed at herself for forgetting that her own name, Sarah, has five letters also.  Now she looked forward to telling her friends about her new way of remembering something too important to forget.

Discussion questions for part 2:

1. How did Sarah’s family respond to her idea?
2. How can we help each other remember important things?
3. What do the last 5 Commandments teach us about being kind to others?

Part 3:

Sarah had learned to pay attention to the wise words of her pastor.  

She was sharing what she had learned with others.  How would you teach someone things you know how to do?  I imagine Sarah might become a teacher someday.  Maybe she will trace an outline of each of her hands and write a Commandment on each finger she has drawn.  How would you finish this story for Sarah?