What is the most beautiful thing in the world?
As the children name these things, write them down on the blackboard, or, better, draw rapid sketches illustrative of them, if you can. This list may read: a rose; my mother; a pretty river; my baby brother; a nice lawn; the woods, etc. Then tell the children that, beautiful as all these things are, there are things in heaven so much more beautiful that we cannot even imagine how lovely they look.
What is the most helpful thing in the world?
A similar list may be made, in a similar way. It will contain some such things as: a book; achurch; my father; my teacher; the school; the Bible, etc. Then tell the children that, helpful as all these are, heaven has helps that will teach us and strengthen us more than any of them.
What is the merriest thing in the world?
The list this time may read: a game of blind-man’s buff; a jolly song; a boat-ride; a sleighing party; my Uncle Jack; vacation time, etc. Tell the children that heaven will be just crowded with things that will make people bubbling over with a joy that no one can get from the merriest things of the earth.
What do you like best?
This list, of course, will be a long one, if you wait to get each child’s special preference. Make the list as long as you have time for, and then tell the children that every hour in heaven they will see and enjoy things that they will like far better than any of the things they have named, or all put together.
Then isn’t heaven worth working for? And don’t you all want to go there, and get as many as you can to go there with you?