Truthfulness: A Spiritual Reinforcement

Transcription

1 Truthfulness: A Spiritual Reinforcement Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

2 Truthfulness You know his proven character Philippians 2:22 Truthfulness is the character trait for the month of January. Listed below are suggestions that could be used as a springboard to partner with NRCA teachers in instructing and explaining this principle to your children. Definition honesty, credibility, expressing the truth, correctness, integrity, trustworthiness Antonym deception, deceitfulness, dishonesty, lying, untruthfulness Key Verse - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 Related Hymns and Choruses Sing Songs with Your Children! Focus on Truthfulness Songs. * Have Thine Own Way, Lord! - * I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go * I Surrender All - * Standing On the Promises - * Take My Life and Let It Be - * Google Tell the Truth song - Quigley's Village Teaching kids Honesty VeggieTales "Josh and the Big Wall! The theme is telling the truth. Bible Verses Related to Truthfulness Spend several evenings looking at just one of these verses at a time. Don't forget to ask your children the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Discuss with your family what each verse teaches about the character quality of Truthfulness and give vital application of how this quality can be applied to your family. Choose several verses to memorize together as a family. All of the verses are from the New King James Version of the Bible. 1. Led me in the way of truth (Genesis 24:48) 2. All His work is done in truth (Psalm 33:4) 3. Speak each man the truth (Zechariah 8:16) 4. I am the Way, the Truth (John 14:6) 5. Rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) 6. But in deed and in truth (I John 3:18) 7. Truth that is in you (3 John 3)

3 Bible Stories as a part of your family devotions. All of these stories emphasize the importance of Truthfulness. * Abraham Genesis 12:14-20 (Deception) * Isaac - Genesis 26:6-11 (Deception) * Jacob - Genesis 27:1-29 (Deception) * Jacob's sons - Genesis 37:31-35 (Deception) * Joshua & Caleb - Numbers 13:1-14:38 * Ananias & Sapphira - Acts 5 * Daniel always told the truth. - Daniel Chapter 4 * Paul is on the witness stand before Governor Felix. - Acts 24 Character Definitions * Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts * Facing the consequences of a mistake * Telling or disposed to tell the truth (Truth: sincerity in action, character, and utterance) How to Demonstrate Truthfulness to God * Clear your conscience by confessing secret sins * Realize that nothing is hid from God * Recognize that there is a cost of hiding from God (Proverbs 28:13) * Fulfill past promises and vows * Put on the "Belt of Truth" to Parents * Clear your conscience with them * Never promise anyone not to tell your parents * Seek your parents approval on all friendships * Do not secretly listen to music that you know your parents would disapprove * Share with your parents areas of moral weakness and ask for their help and protection to your Church Leaders * Be accountable to your pastor or church leader * When you sing a hymn, ask yourself, "Do I really mean these words, or how can I make them true right now?" * Make sure that the music you listen to is true to the nature of God rather than the sound of the world

4 The "I Wills" of Truthfulness * I will tell the truth * I will encourage others to tell the truth * I will not cheat or steal * I will admit it when I am wrong * I will not exaggerate to make things seem different than what they are Stories to Share with Your Children The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aesop There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!" The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces. "Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill. Later, the boy sang out again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away. When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!" But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more. Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!" But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come. At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping. "There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, "Wolf!" Why didn't you come?" An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village. "We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth, "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!" You Are Beautiful As You Are by Aesop There was once a crow who did not like his feathers. "I wish I were a peacock!" he would say. "You are beautiful as you are!" the other crows insisted. "How plain and dull you seem to me!" he'd complain, and fly off to admire peacocks. The peacocks strutted about with their colorful tail feathers outstretched. To the delight of the crow, some of the peacock feathers lay on the ground when the peacocks left. Crow flew down to the ground and stuck the feathers into his wings and tail. He attached a few sticking up from his head.

5 "Now I am as beautiful as a peacock," he said. But, when he went to join them in their strutting, the peacocks poked him and pecked him. What a fuss! "You are not a peacock," they said, "Don't imitate us!" Bruised and still dragging some broken peacock feathers in his tail, he returned home. After all his insults, no one wanted his company! As he sat alone, the other crows said, "It's foolish to try and be what you're not. Learn to love the feathers you've got!" The Emperor s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen Once upon a time there lived a vain Emperor whose only worry in life was to dress in elegant clothes. He changed clothes almost every hour and loved to show them off to his people. Word of the Emperor's refined habits spread over his kingdom and beyond. Two scoundrels who had heard of the Emperor's vanity decided to take advantage of it. They introduced themselves at the gates of the palace with a scheme in mind. "We are two very good tailors and after many years of research we have invented an extraordinary method to weave a cloth so light and fine that it looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality." The chief of the guards heard the scoundrel's strange story and sent for the court chamberlain. The chamberlain notified the prime minister, who ran to the Emperor and disclosed the incredible news. The Emperor's curiosity got the better of him and he decided to see the two scoundrels. "Besides being invisible, your Highness, this cloth will be woven in colors and patterns created especially for you." The emperor gave the two men a bag of gold coins in exchange for their promise to begin working on the fabric immediately. "Just tell us what you need to get started and we'll give it to you." The two scoundrels asked for a loom, silk, gold thread and then pretended to begin working. The Emperor thought he had spent his money quite well: in addition to getting a new extraordinary suit, he would discover which of his subjects were ignorant and incompetent. A few days later, he called the old and wise prime minister, who was considered by everyone as a man with common sense. "Go and see how the work is proceeding," the Emperor told him, "and come back to let me know." The prime minister was welcomed by the two scoundrels. "We're almost finished, but we need a lot more gold thread. Here, Excellency! Admire the colors, feel the softness!" The old man bent over the loom and tried to see the fabric that was not there. He felt cold sweat on his forehead. "I can't see anything," he thought. "If I see nothing, that means I'm stupid! Or, worse, incompetent!" If the prime minister admitted that he didn't see anything, he would be discharged from his office.

6 "What a marvelous fabric, he said then. "I'll certainly tell the Emperor." The two scoundrels rubbed their hands gleefully. They had almost made it. More thread was requested to finish the work. Finally, the Emperor received the announcement that the two tailors had come to take all the measurements needed to sew his new suit. "Come in," the Emperor ordered. Even as they bowed, the two scoundrels pretended to be holding large roll of fabric. "Here it is your Highness, the result of our labor," the scoundrels said. "We have worked night and day but, at last, the most beautiful fabric in the world is ready for you. Look at the colors and feel how fine it is." Of course the Emperor did not see any colors and could not feel any cloth between his fingers. He panicked and felt like fainting. But luckily the throne was right behind him and he sat down. But when he realized that no one could know that he did not see the fabric, he felt better. Nobody could find out he was stupid and incompetent. And the Emperor didn't know that everybody else around him thought and did the very same thing. The farce continued as the two scoundrels had foreseen it. Once they had taken the measurements, the two began cutting the air with scissors while sewing with their needles an invisible cloth. "Your Highness, you'll have to take off your clothes to try on your new ones." The two scoundrels draped the new clothes on him and then held up a mirror. The Emperor was embarrassed but since none of his bystanders were, he felt relieved. "Yes, this is a beautiful suit and it looks very good on me," the Emperor said trying to look comfortable. "You've done a fine job." "Your Majesty," the prime minister said, "we have a request for you. The people have found out about this extraordinary fabric and they are anxious to see you in your new suit." The Emperor was doubtful showing himself naked to the people, but then he abandoned his fears. After all, no one would know about it except the ignorant and the incompetent. "All right," he said. "I will grant the people this privilege." He summoned his carriage and the ceremonial parade was formed. A group of dignitaries walked at the very front of the procession and anxiously scrutinized the faces of the people in the street. All the people had gathered in the main square, pushing and shoving to get a better look. An applause welcomed the regal procession. Everyone wanted to know how stupid or incompetent his or her neighbor was but, as the Emperor passed, a strange murmur rose from the crowd. Everyone said, loud enough for the others to hear: "Look at the Emperor's new clothes. They're beautiful!" "What a marvelous train!" "And the colors! The colors of that beautiful fabric! I have never seen anything like it in my life!" They all tried to conceal their disappointment at not being able to see the clothes, and since nobody was willing to admit his own stupidity and incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had predicted. A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage.

7 "The Emperor is naked," he said. "Fool!" his father reprimanded, running after him. "Don't talk nonsense!" He grabbed his child and took him away. But the boy's remark, which had been heard by the bystanders, was repeated over and over again until everyone cried: "The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It's true!" The Emperor realized that the people were right but could not admit to that. He though it better to continue the procession under the illusion that anyone who couldn't see his clothes was either stupid or incompetent. And he stood stiffly on his carriage, while behind him a page held his imaginary mantle. Discuss the Following Questions with Your Children * Have you corrected the lies that you told in the past and asked forgiveness for them? * Do you tend to exaggerate the facts in order to gain approval from others? * Have you made right any cheating on past tests? * Do you tell God the precise sins that you commit and ask His forgiveness? * Have you ever boasted to your children that a clerk undercharged you or that you found money or possessions on the street without turning them in? Activities Play the game Gossip as a family activity. This is a good sociological demonstration of what could happen to the truth when information is passed by word of mouth by several people. Very simply, the players are lined up in a row or a circle. The first person is given a sentence or perhaps several sentences written on a piece of paper. He or she commits the information to memory and then sets the paper aside. He/she "whispers" the information, as well as he/she can remember it to the next person in line. This person does the same, passing the information down the line until it reaches the end. The last person reveals what he/she has been told to all assembled. The first person then reads the paper.