Choose a child for each of these people in the story (10 total):
Samuel
David
Jesse – David’s father
7 brothers
Have the remaining children sit down in a circle and explain that they are going to help you tell the story today.
Have the child playing David stand away from the rest of the group.
Have the 7 brothers stand in a line.
Have Jesse stand at the “door”.
Have Samuel be ready to walk with you.
Explain to the kids in the circle that Samuel was a man who listened to God and God told him things. One day God told Samuel to go to Jesse’s house because one of Jesse’s sons would be the new King. (Walk with Samuel to Jesse’s “door” and knock on the door.)
When Samuel got to Jesse’s house he asked Jesse to get all his sons and bring them to him. So Jesse called his sons over. (Have Jesse walk over to the 7 sons. Have all the 7 sons follow Jesse back to where Samuel is.)
Samuel looked at each son to see if he was to be the next King, but God tells him “Nope” (Shake your head back and forth.) Explain to the kids it’s their job when Samuel (put your hands on the child playing Samuel) looks at each brother to shake their heads and holler out “Nope!” Have the kids practice saying “Nope!” and shaking their head back and forth. Have Samuel stand in front of each brother and wait for the kids to shout “Nope!”
Then explain that when Samuel couldn’t find the right son to be King, God tells him “Don’t look at the outside, but look at the inside.” (Shake your finger when you say “Don’t” and make binoculars with your hands around your eyes when you “look”. Move your binoculars up and down when you say “outside”. Continue to use binoculars as you say “but look” and then point at the heart when you say “inside”.) Have the kids practice saying this with you.
Tell the kids that Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons and Jesse said he did. He had one more son named David. He was the youngest and smallest and was out watching the sheep. Samuel told Jesse to call for David to come in. Explain that when it’s time for Jesse to call David they must help call David by hollering over to David. Have them shout for David. Have David walk over to where Samuel, Jesse and the 7 brothers are.
When David came inside God told Samuel that David would be the new King. Have kids point at David and say, “That’s the one!” David might have been the smallest and youngest, but God knew that David loved him and would obey Him and knew that He was just the right person to be King. God knew that because God doesn’t look at who is the biggest or best or oldest. God looks at us and see how each of us is special and made by Him and each of us can do something special for Him just like David was made to be King. Because God doesn’t look at the outside but looks at the inside. (Use the motions.) Have the kids repeat this with you.
Props
Bring in 8 objects that vary in size from largest to smallest. Put the smallest object in your pocket or under your seat out of the vision of the children.
Pick up the biggest object first as you tell the children that Samuel looked at the oldest brother. He was very tall but God said “No”. Put down the object. Pick up the next largest item as you talk about the next brother and how tall, good looking, strong, fast, etc. he was. Each time God tells Samuel "No" put down the object.
As you talk about Samuel asking if Jesse had any other sons and that Jesse had not called in David, pick up the smallest item from wherever you have it hidden. Tell the kids that David was the youngest and no one thought it was important to call him. No one thought he was big enough or smart enough to be King. He wasn’t tall or strong or big or as fast as his older brothers. But God saw him and told Samuel he would be King. Because God looks at us and sees how each of us is special and different. We don’t have to be the biggest or the best or the fastest. We just have to love God and He loves us already. And no matter what will always love us.
Other ideas:
You could bring in measuring tape or ruler and have the kids guess how big each of David’s brothers were. When it is time for David to be chosen you could throw away the measuring tape or ruler because doesn’t use that. He knows each of us already and knows how special we are and what we can do for Him no matter how tall or big or fast or great we are.
What comes next?
Tell the story but stop and ask kids questions as you go.
Today I’m going to need your help to tell our story. Our story today is about Samuel. Samuel listened to God and obeyed God. One day God told him something very important. He had a special job for him.
Do you remember what God told Samuel to go do?
Samuel was to go find the next King. He was to go to a man’s house named Jesse. Jesse had lots of sons; one of them was going to be King. So when Samuel got to Jesse’s house, Jesse called his sons to come in and meet Samuel.
How many sons did Jesse bring to meet Samuel? Can you count them with me?
Jesse brought his 7 sons to meet Samuel. And Samuel looked at each one. Some were tall and some were big and some were fast and some were strong.
Did God choose any of them to be King?
None of those 7 sons were to be King. God told Samuel that it didn’t matter what someone looked like on the outside. God wanted someone that loved Him and someone that He had made special. So Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons left.
Did Jesse have any other sons? Where was David?
David was the youngest and smallest and they forgot to call him home. He was out watching sheep. They brought David in to meet Samuel.
What did God say about David? Did God pick David to be King?
David was chosen to be King. God knew that David was special and would make a good King. God knew Him and knew he could do the job.
Do you think God knows us? How made us?
God made us just like He made David and He knows we are special and no matter what we look like on the outside He knows we can do great things for Him.
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