Ask parents about the issues they deal with concerning their children and whining and complaining will make the list. The idea of making it known when we are unhappy with how life is unfolding around us is not unique to children or to the current day and age. People have whined and complained since Bible times and it seems to annoy God as much as it annoys parents, teachers and anyone else who has to listen to it!
There’s a fun way to help your young Bible students understand why God prefers gratitude over complaining (as will everyone else they encounter in life). You will need to make a batch of “manna” cookies ahead of time. You can find multiple recipes online. They obviously aren’t actually manna, but are based on providing the same tastes by which manna is described in the Bible. Kids generally love it because it is a variant of a sugar cookie (check for allergies before giving to students). You will also need to precook some quail meat. This can usually be special ordered from your butcher. Remember, each student will only eat a couple of bites, so you don’t need a ton of meat. (Your butcher can help you figure out how much you need.)
Introduce the lesson by telling the story from Exodus 16 about manna. Let students taste the manna cookies. Explain that the Israelites complained about the manna. Ask your students why the Israelites might complain about getting to eat something that was basically a cookie. After they answer, remind them that manna was the only food they ate and they ate it for three meals a day. There was no other food… just manna. Now ask the students why the Israelites may have complained.
Next read the story in Exodus 16 about the quail. Ask your students why God was so frustrated with the Israelites. Have them taste the quail. Ask them to imagine the scene in the story. Now they have quail, but more quail than they could ever eat. How do they think the Israelites responded? What lesson was God trying to teach them? What had the Israelites so quickly forgotten? Why should they have been more focused on their gratitude for being delivered from horrible slavery than what they had to eat until they reached the Promised Land?
Allow the children to taste a bit more manna and quail if they would like. While they are eating, ask them if they ever complain like the Israelites. About what types of things do they complain? How do the people around them react when they complain? Why? How do they think God feels when they complain? Why? What should they be expressing gratitude for instead of complaining?
You can finish the lesson by having them create a gratitude journal and encouraging them to end every day by writing down three things for which they are grateful and thanking God for them in prayer. Older students may also want to discuss strategies to break the habit of whining and complaining. Helping students focus on gratitude rather than complaining can make a positive difference as they learn to really appreciate their blessings from God.