Items Needed:
A wooden yardstick (or similar board) that you do not mind breaking, some newspaper.

Lesson Idea:

Show the yardstick and the sheet of newspaper. Which is the stronger? (Most will say the yardstick.) If you had to defend yourself, which would you choose? (Again, most will choose the yardstick.) Place the yardstick on the edge of a table so that almost one half of the stick hangs over the edge. Cover the part of the yardstick on the table with one sheet of newspaper, flattened out on the table. Ask what will happen if the yardstick is hit. (Most will say the paper will fly up.) Go ahead and hit the stick hard. It should break. (The reason
is there is a large column of air pushing on the surface of the newspaper - air pressure. If the paper is moved too quickly, the surrounding air does not have time to flow under the paper to equalize the pressure. Trying to lift the paper is like trying to lift several tons with the tiny stick.)

Explain that the paper represents us, the weak things of the world. But when we have learned to prostrate ourselves before the Lord in humility and call upon unseen forces to help us solve our problems or content with our enemies, he strengthens us.

I have used just the cheep yardsticks that you can get at any hardware store.  Usually they give them away as advertising. Place the yardstick so that almost half of the stick is not on the table. You can slide it back or forth until it will balance and not fall. Then you place the newspaper on the part of the stick. you will then hit the part of the stick hanging off the table. It will break.

Activities