Creating a Picture

Theme: People, made in the image of their Creator, are a special part of creation.

Bible Verse: But from the beginning of the creation, God “made them male and female.” (Mark 10:6)

Materials Needed:

• Poster board (any color)

• Ruler

• Scissors

• Pencils

Bible Lesson

There is a popular assumption today in science that we somehow evolved from animals. We are said to be an advanced form of animal, really no different from all other forms of life on the earth. Our key verse makes clear the error of this thinking. From the beginning, mankind has been a unique part of creation. Not only are we separate from the animal world, but we have been given charge over the animals (Genesis 1:26).

Many differences exist between people and animals. Humans have complex languages, a sense of history, and accumulated knowledge through our generations. Another area of our uniqueness is artistic creativity. We have been blessed with minds that can produce an unending variety of beautiful music and works of art. Animals do not have this ability. A robin has a particular song that is beautiful but largely unchanging. Its nest is intricate but is the same design season after season. The robin is programmed to instinctively do robin-like activities. It simply is not capable of experimenting with new songs or new types of nests. So it has ever been for robins and for other kinds of animals since creation. Beautiful spider webs and flowers show God’s handiwork, not that of the animals and plants themselves. Human creativity truly sets us apart, further showing our special creation in God’s image. After all, he is the great Artist and Creator, and he stamped his image upon us.

Science Activity

Participants will experiment with a tangram puzzle. They can either cut out their own puzzle or be provided with the pieces. The figure shows how to cut a square into seven pieces. Begin with a square of cardboard with 6-inch sides. Draw two diagonal lines that connect the opposite corners of the square. Mark off one diagonal into four equal lengths. Then draw the other lines as shown before cutting out the pieces. If puzzle pieces are prepared ahead of time, have participants solve the puzzle of building a perfect square using the seven pieces.

Now it is time to be creative. Challenge participants to create biblical pictures using all seven pieces, such as a cross, church, star, candle, camel, or whale. Various letters and designs can also be formed. There are thousands of possible pictures. The participants can try to guess each other’s creative designs. Remind them that this simple activity illustrates our unique difference from the animal world. We are a special creation. All forms of life have a common Creator, not a common evolutionary ancestor.

Science Explanation

The tangram is a Chinese game that stimulates thinking. During the 1800s, this puzzle was very popular throughout the United States and the world. An 1844 British children’s magazine complained about young people who wasted hours on the Chinese puzzle to little purpose! Elaborate ivory carvings of the puzzle are now valuable antiques.

The tangram is a puzzle that takes many forms. Shown are the puzzle pieces and several pictures.

Puzzle pieces include a square, rhomboid, and five triangles. The goal is to use all seven pieces to make a design or figure. Entire books have been written to show the possible patterns. I have not yet been able to construct a symmetric cross. Can you? The figure shows some typical results.