Satisfaction in perseverance

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Read or begin telling a long adventure story. Just as your narrative reaches a very exciting part, suddenly quit telling the story. When your kids ask you to read on, tell them that your voice is tired and you want to stop talking.

Your kids are sure to plead with you to start the story once again. Finally agree, replying to their request with the comment, “Okay, I will persevere.” When the story is finished, ask your kids if they are glad that you persevered and completed the story. Talk about the satisfaction that is gained by finishing a long story or job. You may also wish to impress upon your children that their parents work hard every day to provide money, food and clothing for them.

Respect detectives

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Tell your kids you are going to be “respect detectives.” Your job is to look for ways people are not showing respect for others. While driving around your community or out on a walk in your neighbourhood, look for litter and graffiti. Also look for doggy doo on the path or the grass.

Use any of the following questions for discussion to encourage your child to consider how he/she can be a respectful member of your community. To take this lesson a step further, pick up litter when you go on a walk to make your community a more beautiful place to be.

Questions for discussion
  • Do fences, cement paths and buildings look better with spray paint or clear of painted words and drawings?
  • Does the park look better clean or full of litter?
  • Do you like to step in doggy doo when you are walking on the path or playing in the park?
  • Did those who dropped the litter, painted the graffiti or left the doggy doo around show respect to others?
  • How can we show respect to others by taking care of our community?

 

“Check for respect” game

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While you are driving or standing in a line up, fill the time by playing the “Check for Respect” game. Here are two ways you can play the game:

  • Tell your kids a story or provide a scenario. For example:A friend is over and you have a wonderful time playing together. Toys are spread all over the playroom. Your friend leaves without offering to help clean up the toys.An older man comes to your home to visit and your little brother asks him how old he is.

    Ask your kids, “Did the characters in the story show respect?” If the characters in the story showed respect, your kids answer, “Check for respect.” If the characters did not demonstrate respect, have your children make a noise like a game show sound when someone gets eliminated from the game: “Ennnnh!”

  • Another option is to make it a multiple-choice game where your children select the correct answer. The laughs gained with playing the game this way can add some fun, given your children have the maturity and judgement to understand that the humour is funny to listen to, but not funny if it is acted out. Some examples include:You feel a sneeze coming, so you a) look for someone to sneeze on b) cover your mouth and nose with your hands c) turn your head away from people and let the sneeze out as loudly as possible.Company is over. You notice that after the meal, your mom has a big piece of lettuce on her tooth. You a) point at it and start laughing as loud as you can, b) ask if anyone can tell which of your mom’s teeth is not like the other, c) quietly whisper in your mom’s ear that she should check her teeth in the bathroom.

    Once your children understand the idea behind making up scenarios for the game, they may want to make up some of their own, too.

If you have completed the kick-off craft activity for the respect lesson, you can add this game to daily life. When you notice family members treating each other or possessions with respect, remember to say, “Check for respect.” Family members can say “Ennnnh!”, when they notice other family members not following the “family respect rules,” provided it is done in a respectful way.

I’m thirsty. I’m hungry

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As parents, we so often hear our children ask for a drink of water or a snack. Use these requests as a cue to talk about “hungering and thirsting for righteousness.” Each time you serve a drink or a snack, use it as a reminder to ask God to put a hunger and thirst for righteousness in your hearts.

Questions for discussion
  •  Who gives the plants a drink when they are thirsty?
  • How does God water the plants?
  • The Bible compares rain to God’s Word. How are they alike?
  • Can righteousness really rain down from heaven?
  • Does drinking rainwater make you righteous?
  • Could you eat the pages out of a Bible to become righteous?
  • Read Psalm 119:9-11. How can we make sure righteousness “grows” in our hearts?
Key concepts

God provides water so thirsty plants can grow. God also gives us water and food to satisfy our physical needs, but He wants us to “thirst” or desire righteousness in the same way that we crave water when we are thirsty. God’s Word tells us that He will bless us and fill us when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. Reading the Bible is one way we can learn about avoiding sin. The other way we can become righteous is through confessing our sins and asking God to send His Holy Spirit to live in us, to teach us to live righteously.

Relevant Scripture

Psalm 135:6-7 “The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses.”

Isaiah 55:10-11 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 45:7-8 “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it.”

Psalm 119:9-11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Learn like a dog

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Visit a dog-training facility, watch a DVD or search the Internet (using search terms like “dog training,” “pinch collar” or “prong collar”) to discover how dogs are taught to heel. Explain that dogs who learn to obey quickly can wear a soft collar or no collar at all. Other dogs have to wear a choke collar while they are being trained. This kind of collar pinches their neck a little when the owner pulls on it. Dogs who are stubborn and more difficult to train (or sometimes just have thicker fur), have to wear prong collars. These collars give a significant pinch when the owner pulls on the leash. (You may wish to visit a pet store to check out these types of collars.)

While you are out walking and driving, watch how different dogs walk on the leash. Some tug and pull, while others walk obediently beside their owners.

Read Psalm 32:8-9 and Isaiah 46:12-13 and use the discussion questions below to challenge your children to be someone who accepts instruction without needing the painful guidance of severe discipline.

Questions for discussion
  • How do dog handlers/trainers decide what kind of collar to use on a dog?
  • If you were a dog, what kind of collar would you want to wear?
  • What kind of discipline would be like a soft collar? How about a choke collar? And the pinch or prong collar?
  • Of all of the disciplines Mom and Dad give out, which do you prefer?
  • Can you think of a Bible story where God had to discipline someone who wasn’t doing as God asked?
  • What do you think God means when He refers to people as “stubborn hearted”?
  • Do you want God to refer to you as “easy to train” or “stubborn hearted”?
Key concepts

Dog handlers choose a collar based on the dog’s level of obedience. Compliant dogs require only soft collars. Less cooperative dogs require some pain to help them learn. Similarly, God disciplines us according to the severity of our disobedience. The story of Jonah is an ideal example. Jonah disobeyed and was not doing what God asked him to do. God had to shake Jonah with a wild storm and a ride in the belly of a whale in order to get him to obey.

Jonah 3:1-2 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’ ” It was as though God was telling Jonah, “Here is another chance to obey.” God uses the term “stubborn-hearted” to describe people who are “far from righteousness.” On the other hand, God compares some of His followers to sheep who listen to and follow His voice. These people are like the obedient dogs who do not need to wear a collar at all because they obey their master’s voice.

As a parent, you can use the dog-training terms studied to remind your children of the dangers of being stubborn, thus requiring painful discipline. A question like, “What kind of dog are you being right now?” can help remind a child of the importance of obeying. You can also assure your child that your goal is to discipline like God does, with a heart of love. Remind them that you will be consulting God and asking His opinion to help you select appropriate disciplinary measures.

Close by praying a simple prayer from Luke 11:28 with your children. For example, you might pray, “Dear God, thank You that You bless us when we hear Your Word and obey it. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help us to have obedient hearts that choose to do the things that please You.”

Relevant Scripture

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”

Isaiah 46:12-13 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness. I am bringing My righteousness near, it is not far away; and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, My splendor to Israel.”

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”

Luke 11:27-28 “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave You birth and nursed You.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.”

Righteous rejoicing

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Create an impromptu worship time by inviting your children to think of songs you can sing to praise God. Some song ideas to help you get started are Our God Is an Awesome God, Praise Him All Ye Little Children, and Praise the Name of Jesus. Affirm your children by reading your choice of the verses below and let them know that people who are righteous enjoy praising God.

Relevant Scripture

Psalm 32:11 “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

Psalm 33:1 “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.”

Psalm 64:10 “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; let all the upright in heart praise Him!”

Psalm 68:3 “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.”

Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant.”

Psalm 140:13 “Surely the righteous will praise Your name and the upright will live before You.”

Firefighting

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This story works well in combination with the hands-on option entitled “fire safety rules.”

While you are driving, have your children look for a fire station or a fire engine. Use the questions provided below to set the stage for the story that follows.

Questions for discussion
  • What kind of equipment does a firefighter need? (See the list below for essential firefighting resources.)
  • What is the most important thing a firefighter needs to fight a fire?

Firefighting power for you and me

Graham was a firefighter. Ever since he was a young boy, he had wanted to drive a fire truck and help put out fires. He loved his job because he liked helping people who were in trouble. Graham also loved and followed Jesus. People would often thank Graham and his crew for the work they did and Graham would always say, “Remember to thank God too.”

One especially hot day in the middle of the afternoon, all the firefighters on duty were wishing they were relaxing at the local pool instead of sitting in the sweltering fire hall. Moments later, the alarm bell went. The 911 operator had details of a house on fire at 23 Beaverton Court.

Upon arriving at the house, Graham’s crew immediately began soaking the blaze with the water available in their truck. Meanwhile, two other crewmen were working to open the nearby fire hydrant. Suddenly Graham received a message over the radio.

“Graham, we have a problem. The hydrant is stuck.”

Graham called dispatch. “Is there another pump on the way?” he asked.

“Yes, it should be there in three minutes. Over.”

“Three minutes is too long,” Graham thought. “We need to get more water on this blaze now.” Graham turned and looked at the fire hydrant where two of his crew were desperately working to open the hydrant.

“Please God,” Graham prayed, “we need water so we can do our job.”

Moments later the crew heaved one more time against the valve on the hydrant. This time it opened and water began to gush through the hose!

The fire crew turned the hose on the blazing house fire. Soon the firefighters were able to approach the front door of the house. Using an axe and a Halligen bar, they opened the large wooden front door. As soon as the door was open, a frightened little wiener dog ran out. Fearing that there might be people inside as well, Graham and another crewman searched the house.

Thankfully they were able to check the house completely, making sure that there were no people or other pets inside. As they were putting out the last of the flames, a van pulled up to the scene. It was the family who lived in the house. The children picked up their dog, hugged him and cried. They were so thankful that their beloved canine, Frankfurt, had been rescued.

Graham drove home from work with a grateful heart. They had been able to save the family’s pet and had kept the blaze from spreading to the nearby houses. Sitting at the supper table with his family, Graham told his wife, his son, Josh, and daughter, Jesse, about the house fire and the faulty hydrant. For their Bible reading that night Graham read from Romans 8:7-10. It said, “The sinful mind is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.”

This all sounded pretty complicated to Jesse and Josh, until Graham explained the similarities between fighting sin and fighting fires.

Graham said, “Think of sin as the fire. Just as firefighters use water to fight a fire, the most important tool God gives us to fight sin is His Holy Spirit. Firefighters get connected to the source for their water – either a fire hydrant or their fire truck. When I had no water to fight the fire today, there was nothing I could do in my own strength to put it out.” Graham continued explaining, “Sin is like the fire; we can’t fight it on our own. What do we need to help us fight sin?” he asked.

 “God’s Spirit?” Josh answered.

 “Ding, ding, ding,” Graham smiled, making an amusing fire alarm sound. “That’s right. Only through God’s Spirit living in us can we win the battle against sin. God’s Holy Spirit is like the water pouring through the hose that helped us fight that fire today. Our connection to God is through prayer. Let’s pray right now and ask God to give us His Spirit to help us beat sin like we beat that fire today.”

Firefighting equipment

Firefighters use many pieces of specialized equipment to fight fires. Here’s a list of some essential items:

Clothing | A firefighter’s clothing is made from Nomex, a flame-resistant material, and includes a balaclava, a helmet, a bunker coat, bunker pants, gloves and leather boots.

SCBA | SCBA stands for “Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus.” This allows a firefighter to breathe fresh air from tanks carried on their back, instead of breathing in smoke.

Rescue equipment | A fireman’s axe and a Halligen bar (which resembles a pickaxe) help firemen gain quick access to locked areas. Extrication tools like the jaws of life, ropes, ladders and aerial towers help firefighters access areas they otherwise could not get to.

TIC | TIC is an abbreviation for Thermal Imaging Camera. An infrared camera helps a firefighter see, even in smoky conditions.

Two-way radios | Two-way radios and other communication devices allow firefighters to talk with each other, helping them work as a team.

Fire truck | In fire halls a basic fire truck is also known as a “pump” because it pumps water for the firefighters to use. Other trucks are known as “squads” if they are equipped with specialized rescue equipment. The truck that has a ladder and basket for reaching high areas is called an “aerial” or a “tower.”

Water | Most fire trucks carry about 500 gallons of water. This is a lot of water, but not enough to put out a house fire. In the case of larger fires, firefighters need to attach their hoses to a fire hydrant. Water is the most important thing for a firefighter to have at a fire because without water and a means to pump the water, a firefighter is powerless.

Key concepts

We all fight a kind of fire every day, and that fire is sin. God gives us many tools to fight against it: the Bible, wise friends and parents, and our own conscience. Just as water fights a fire, the most important tool God gives us to fight sin is His Holy Spirit. Firefighters know they must connect to a water source through a fire hydrant or their fire truck. We connect with the power of God’s Spirit through prayer.

Relevant Scripture

Romans 8:6-11 “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”

Smart self-control

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Give your children a treat that comes in small pieces (e.g. a small box of raisins or Smarties®). As you give the treat to them, explain that if they have self-control and do not eat it all at once, they will have some later for when they want some more. Leave it at that and see what happens. As the day progresses, use it as an opportunity to talk about the benefits of having self-control.

Questions for discussion
  • When did you eat your candy?
  • Do you still have any left now?
  • Do you wish that you still had some to eat now?
  • If you had chosen to eat it a little at a time, would you still have some now?
  • Would it have been easier to save some for later if you had put it away or asked a parent to care for it for you?

This exercise is applicable to any situation where we are tempted to lose self-control. Work with your children to brainstorm situations where it is better to remove yourself than stay where you are tempted to lose self-control. For example, do not sit beside a friend who you enjoy talking to when you are supposed to be quiet, or choose to leave a play area when tempers are getting heated and you feel angry with a friend.

Note: You may want to repeat this exercise at a later date and see if your children approach it differently after learning about self-control.

Self-control scenarios

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You can play the self-control game when you are driving in the car or as a family activity at home. Take turns giving examples of when self-control is needed. (See examples below). After each example, ask the questions for discussion.

  • Someone has just taken your favourite toy from you.
  • You have had one piece of cake and your stomach feels full. Someone offers you another piece.
  • You are alone in the kitchen and see an open bag of chocolate chips on the counter where you can reach it. No one will notice if you take a few.
  • Someone has just called you a mean name that hurt your feelings – now they are laughing at you.
  • You just received some discipline from one of your parents, now your brother or sister is smiling.
Questions for discussion
  • Would you need to use self-control in this situation?
  • Would it be easy or hard to be self-controlled in this situation?
  • If you would have a hard time using self-control, how could you make it easier?
Key concepts

You want your children to understand that when we are full of the Holy Spirit, it is easier to use self-control. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Also remind your children that they will never be tempted beyond what God will help them handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Close by praying and thanking God that He understands what it is like to be tempted and that He will never let us be tempted beyond that which we can handle. For further insight, read and discuss the “Jesus fights temptation” story in the Bible stories section of this lesson.

Relevant Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Contentedness challenge

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Play this game while you are driving or standing in a line up. Ask each other, “Can you be content without ________?” The person can respond honestly but has to conclude their answer by saying, “If I have food and clothing, I can be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:8) or “God is my Master” (Matthew 6:24) or “I choose to be godly and content with what I have.” (1 Timothy 6:6) Take turns asking the question and answering. You may be surprised that it is harder for parents to answer honestly than it is for their children.

Relevant Scripture

1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot love both God and money.”