God is pleased when we tell the truth.

Transcription

1 Praise Jesus! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods Lesson 13 Bible Point God is pleased when we tell the truth. Bible Verse The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth (Proverbs 12:22). Growing Closer to Jesus Children will n discover that all lies will eventually be discovered, n learn that truth will continue forever, and n learn about following the way of truth. Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis n Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship false gods. Daniel 3:1-30 Because Daniel had interpreted Nebuchadnezzar s dream, he was placed in a high position in the Babylonian government. At Daniel s request, the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators in the kingdom as well (Daniel 1 2). Nebuchadnezzar s name meant Nabu has protected my inheritance. The statue Nebuchadnezzar had built was likely meant to represent the god Nabu. The statue was 90 feet high, but this measurement probably included a tall pedestal, and the statue itself was probably gold-plated, not solid gold. Nevertheless, it must have been an impressive structure, standing about as high as a 10-story building. We don t know where Daniel was when his three friends took a stand against worshipping this giant idol. His high position may have placed him above the threat of punishment, or he may have been away from the area on government business when all of this took place. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to trust God regardless of what would happen in the fiery furnace. If God saved them, great! But even if he didn t, they were willing to die before they would worship Nebuchadnezzar s idol. The furnace the three were thrown into was likely used to fire bricks or to smelt metal. Certainly at its normal operating temperature probably between 1,600 and 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit survival inside such a furnace would be humanly impossible. But Nebuchadnezzar had the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. It was so hot that the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace died from their proximity to it! Even so, God saved the three trusting Israelites from harm. Prayer Read 2 Timothy 4:3-4. When was the last time you took a stand for Jesus Christ? What happened? Pray: Lord, help me and the children I teach never fear to tell the truth and to tell others about you whenever 173

2 Lesson 13 Before the Lesson n Collect items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed in the chart. n Make photocopies of the Growing Together handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your children. n Pray for your students and for God s direction in teaching the lesson. This Lesson at a Glance Welcome What Students Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies Welcome! Receive a warm welcome from the teacher, and make name tags. Schoolhouse name tags (p. 147), markers, scissors, tape or safety pins Attention Grabber Bible Exploration & Application Closing Module Review Discuss what they ve learned about pleasing God by learning, caring, and doing their best. Whoppers Think of whoppers people might tell, and create bubbles to learn that lies will always burst. The Fiery Furnace Act out the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3:1-30, and see how they lived the truth. Nebuchadnezzar Says Play a version of Simon Says to practice listening for the truth. Tested Truth Talk about truths and lies they ve told; then hear Proverbs 12:19 and find out that truth lasts forever. Guide and Teach See how they can get confused about the truth, and then learn from Psalm 25:5 that God will guide them to tell the truth. Bubble solution or dish soap and water, bowl Bible, tape, construction paper, scissors Bible, CD player Bible, flashlight, paper, pens, pencils, newsprint, tape Bible 174

3 Welcome Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods SUPPLIES: Schoolhouse name tags (p. 147), markers, scissors, tape or safety pins Greet each child individually with an enthusiastic smile. Thank each child for coming to class today. As children arrive, ask them about last week s lesson and Growing Together activities. Use questions such as What did your family learn last week? and What did you discover about learning? Say: Today we re going to learn that God is pleased when we tell the truth. Help children put on their name tags. If some children weren t in class last week, or if some of the name tags were damaged, photocopy the Schoolhouse name tags and have children follow the instructions to create new name tags. Tell the children that the attention-getting signal you ll use during this lesson is clapping your hands three times. Ask children to respond by clapping their hands three times as they stop talking and focus their attention on you. Rehearse the signal with the children, telling them to respond quickly so you have plenty of time for all the fun activities planned for this lesson. n Module Review Use the casual interaction time at the beginning of class to ask children the following module-review questions: How is doing our best different than doing just enough to get by? Why should we help others do their best? Tell about something you did recently to show you care about others. What is something you ve learned this month that would make God happy? It s important to say the Bible Point just as it s written in each activity. Repeating the Bible Point over and over will help children remember it and apply it to their lives. Attention Grabber n Whoppers SUPPLIES: Dish soap and water, or bubble solution, bowl Use bubble solution or mix two parts dish soap with one part water. Put the solution in a bowl. Gather the children in a circle around the bowl. Say: Today we re talking about truth and lies. Sometimes we call lies whoppers, especially if they re big lies that are really hard to believe. Let s think of some whoppers that people might tell. I ll start us off with one. Someone might say he flew to the moon on his special motorized bicycle. After you suggest a whopper that someone might tell, dip a large bubble wand in the bubble solution and blow slowly into it to create one huge bubble. Wait until the bubble pops. Then give each child a chance to suggest a whopper. After each child s turn, have him or her make a huge bubble. Wait until it pops before going on to the next child. 175

4 Lesson 13 After every child has had a turn, put away the supplies. Say: No matter how big a bubble you made, it didn t last, did it? Lies can be like the bubbles. They can get really big, too, but they don t last. A lie falls apart just like the bubbles fell apart. Ask: What do you think when you hear someone tell a whopper that is, a big lie? (I know it isn t true; I don t believe it even at the beginning.) Have you ever told a lie that was found out? Tell us about it. (I told my mom that I was playing after school, but she found out that I had to stay after school because I d gotten in trouble; I told all my friends that my cousin is a famous movie star, but they found out he isn t.) Why do people tell lies? (To keep from getting in trouble; so other people will think they re important; because it s fun.) Why is it wrong to tell lies? (Because lies cover up the bad things we do; because God doesn t like lies; because it s not nice and you could get in trouble.) Say: Just like the soap bubbles, lies are empty we know they will burst eventually. The truth will always come out. God doesn t want us to tell lies. God is pleased when we tell the truth. Listen to what our Bible verse for today, Proverbs 12:22, says about lying: The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. When God detests something, that means he doesn t like it at all. God doesn t like it at all when we tell lies. It makes him very unhappy. But when God delights in something, that means he is very pleased. God does like it when we tell the truth. That makes him very happy. Have the children repeat the verse a few times until they can say it without prompting. Today our Bible story is about three men who told the truth, even when it was hard. Let s find out what happened. Bible Insight While the book of Daniel is considered to be historically accurate, biblical scholars also consider it to be an apocalyptic work, meaning that it symbolically predicts what will happen in the future. The figure of King Nebuchadnezzar, according to scholars, represents the magnificent head of a great world power who was given many oppor tunities to recognize the kingdom of God but failed to do so. The book of Daniel foretold the end of man-made kingdoms and the coming of the kingdom of God upon the earth. Bible Exploration & Application n The Fiery Furnace SUPPLIES: Bible, tape, construction paper, scissors Tie the jump-rope to the streamers of the streamer wand, and wrap them around three chairs to form a triangular area that will represent the fiery furnace. If you have time, make fire by fringing sheets of yellow, orange, and red construction paper to hang from the chairs, the jump-rope, and the streamers. Open your Bible to Daniel 3:1-30, and show the passage to the children. Say: Listen to this story about three men who told the truth. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Can you say that? Let s say their names together. Shadrach. (Pause.) Meshach. (Pause.) Abednego. (Pause.) I need your help to act out the story as I tell it, OK? Here we go! Nebuchadnezzar built a statue that was 90 feet tall. Have the children pretend to build a tall statue. Then he called all the important people of the country the leaders, governors, advisers, judges, and rulers together in front of the statue. Have the children gather in front of the statue. 176

5 Nebuchadnezzar said, Listen to my command. Whenever you hear music made by horns, flutes, harps, pipes, or other instruments, you must bow down and worship the gold statue I ve made. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Have the children make instrument noises trumpets, horns, or drums, for example as you point at the triangle representing the fiery furnace. When the people heard the music, they all bowed down (pause) except for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Have all the children bow down. When you say the names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, have the children jump to their feet again. The Babylonian leaders told the king that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down. They said, These men pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you set up. Have the children place their hands on their hips and shake their heads, frowning. Nebuchadnezzar was very angry. Have the children stomp their feet. He ordered that the three men be brought to him. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before the king. Have the children wave and say, Hi, King! The king said, Is it true that none of you bowed down to the statue when the music was played? I ll give you another chance. I ll play the music again, and this time, you d better bow down. If you don t, I ll throw you in the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power? Point again at the triangle representing the furnace, and have the children wave papers in their hands to represent the sound of burning flames. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said to the king, We don t need to defend ourselves to you. If you throw us into the furnace, the God we serve is able to save us. No matter what, we will never bow down to this false god you ve made. Have children frown, wag their fingers, and shake their heads. This made Nebuchadnezzar even more furious, and he changed his mind about giving the three men another chance. He ordered that the furnace be made seven times hotter than usual. Have children stomp their feet, growl, and then clap seven times, still stomping their feet. Then he had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace. Have children take turns standing in the furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet in surprise. He said, Didn t we tie up three men and throw them in the furnace? Have children jump up and act surprised. Yes, we did, Your Majesty. Have the children give each other a thumbs-up and grin at each other. Nebuchadnezzar said, Look! I see four men in there. And they are walking around! None of them are burned. And the fourth man looks like an angel. Have the children clap with you four times. Have the children wave papers again to represent burning flames. Then have them turn around in place and wave at each other. Nebuchadnezzar called for the men to come out of the furnace. Have children wave their arms as if to call the men over. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the furnace. The fire hadn t hurt them at all. Their hair wasn t burned. Their clothes weren t burned, and they didn t even smell like smoke. Have the children pretend to sniff their sleeves and then jump up and down, clapping. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods 177

6 Lesson 13 Take advantage of your Bible story time to help children learn the names of books in the Old and New Testaments. Point out that the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego can be found in the Old Testament. If time permits, play The Books of the Bible Song (track 14) on the CD and have the children sing along. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and saved these men from the fire. These men trusted their God and refused to obey me, even though I m a king. They were willing to die rather than worship any god other than their own. From now on, no one will speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Have the children fold their arms across their chests, frown, and shake their heads. Have the children give themselves a round of applause and sit down. Untie the jump-rope and streamer wand, and put them away. Say: Thank you for helping me tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three men were very brave, and they would not lie to the king. When he wanted them to bow down to the statue, they said no. They told the truth that they believed in God, not a statue. Ask: How did the three men tell the truth? (They wouldn t bow to the statue; they followed God.) What do you think they thought when the king ordered them to be thrown in the furnace? (I think they were scared; I think they knew that God would save them.) The three men knew that they might be killed if they did not obey the king. When is it hard for you to obey and tell the truth? (When everyone else is lying about something; when I know something bad will happen to me if I tell the truth.) What do you think the three men thought when they saw the angel? (I think they were relieved; I bet they were glad.) God helped these men when they followed the real God instead of pretending to follow a false god. How do you think God can help you follow him and tell the truth? (God can give me courage; God can help other people not be mad at me for telling the truth.) Say: Telling the truth isn t always easy. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to face a fiery furnace when they spoke up for the true God. They wouldn t tell a lie and bow down to a false god. But they didn t burn in the furnace God saved them. God will be with us, too, when we tell the truth, even if we are scared to. God is pleased when we tell the truth. First- and second-graders aren t too young to have their beliefs about God challenged. Encourage kids to stand up for what they ve learned, and continue to learn, about God. Remind them that God knows and loves them and will help them as they tell others the truth about him. n Nebuchadnezzar Says SUPPLIES: Bible, CD player track 13 Cue the CD to track 13, Nebuchadnezzar Says. This segment will lead the children in a game similar to Simon Says. Have the children stand with plenty of space between them. Say: Second Timothy 4:3-4 says a time will come when people will stop listening to the truth and will start to follow false stories. Let s practice listening for the truth so we will follow the truth instead of false stories. This game is played a little bit like Simon Says. When you hear bells, do the action on the CD. When you hear a funny horn sound and the words Nebuchadnezzar says, don t do the action. Since we want to practice as much as possible, you won t be out if you do the wrong action by mistake. All of us will play the whole game. 178

7 Start the CD. After the segment is over, turn off the CD player, have the children sit down, and ask: Was it easy or hard to always do the right thing in this game? (Sometimes I did the wrong thing before I knew it was wrong; I just followed everyone else, so it was easy; I listened carefully, so it was easy; it got harder as the game went faster.) What was the easiest thing for you to do in this game? (Shake two people s hands; do three jumping jacks; wave goodbye.) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods Say: In this game, doing what Nebuchadnezzar said was like following a false story, not like following the Bible, which tells us the truth. Ask: What is a false story? (A lie; something about God that s not true; something that makes us disobey God.) When are you tempted to follow lies or false stories instead of the truth? (When my friends tell lies, sometimes I go along with them; sometimes adults and important people tell lies, and I believe them.) What is the truth? (The Bible; anything that s not a lie; good things about God.) How do you follow the truth? (I m learning to read my Bible; I go to church to learn about God; I try to pray and obey God every day.) Say: When the Bible talks about following a false story, it means some people tell lies about God and tell others to believe things about God that aren t true. But Jesus said he is the truth. If we follow him, we will always please God. Ask: What s a false story that some people might try to get us to follow? (They might say God isn t real; they might say it doesn t really matter if we obey God.) What can we do when others try to get us to follow false stories instead of telling the truth? (We can get away from them; we can just tell the truth; we can stay with people who help us follow God.) Jesus says he is the truth. Why is it good for us to follow Jesus? (Because he is the truth; because he leads us to God; because it pleases God.) Say: We know that God is pleased when we tell the truth. Part of telling the truth is living for the truth following God in everything we do. Jesus said he is the way, the truth, and the life, and if we follow him, he will always lead us to God. Affirm each child for being obedient and following God s truth. For example, you might say, Sarah, you give God and me great joy when you follow God by being polite during class discussions or Nathan, you give God and me great joy when you follow God by learning from God s Word. After each child has been affirmed, say: It takes practice to be able to follow the truth. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego followed the truth when they wouldn t bow down to a false god. Each of you follows the truth when you obey God. God is pleased when we tell the truth and live for the truth. And more than anything, when we live for Jesus, we live for the truth! Now let s do an experiment to see how long truth lasts. 179

8 Lesson 13 HANDS-ON BIBLE This activity works well at home, too, with an adult s assistance. Say: We are learning today how important it is to not lie but to be truthful in all we say and do because God is pleased when we tell the truth. Let s look in our Hands-On Bibles and see what God has to say about telling the truth. Please open to the back, where you ll find the Dictionary/Concordance, and look up the word truth. It is spelled T-R-U-T-H. Help the children locate the word truth in the Dictionary/Concordance of their Hands-On Bibles. Once they have located the section, have them practice looking up Bible verses listed there, starting with today s Bible verse, Proverbs 12:22 (abbreviated Prov 12:22). Read the verse aloud to the class: The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. Ask: What happens when you tell a lie to your parents? (I get in trouble; they get upset with me.) Why isn t God happy when we tell false stories? (Because it s wrong to lie; because God wants us to tell the truth; because false stories can hurt people.) What does our Bible verse, Proverbs 12:22, say is the way to please God? (Tell the truth; don t lie; be honest.) Say: Just as our parents are not happy with us when we do not tell the truth, God isn t happy with us, either, when we make up false stories. He wants us to be honest because God is pleased when we tell the truth. With God s help, we can do the right thing and be truthful in all we say and do. Let s thank God for his help and patience with us! Lead children in a cheer for God. (Hip! Hip! Hurray!) n Tested Truth SUPPLIES: Bible, flashlight, paper, pens, pencils, newsprint, tape Write on a sheet of newsprint the word truth with a pen and the word lie with a pencil. Tape the newsprint on a wall where the children can see it. Say: Everyone lies sometimes, and everyone tells the truth sometimes. Think of three times you lied and three times you told the truth when you could have lied. I ll give you each paper, a pen, and a pencil. Write T three times in pen to stand for the three times you told the truth. Write L three times in pencil to stand for the three times you lied. The newsprint will help you remember what to write in pencil and what to write in pen. Give each child paper, a pen, and a pencil. Encourage children to think about three times they told the truth and three times they lied. When everyone has written a T in pen three times and an L in pencil three times, form pairs. Have the children tell their partners about the times they lied and the times they told the truth. Give the pairs three or four minutes to talk. Then get their attention by clapping three times. Wait for the children to respond and focus their attention on you. Have the children sit in a circle, and then ask: 180

9 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods What happened when you told the truth? (I got in trouble; my mom said she was proud that I had told the truth.) What happened when you lied? (I got away with breaking a glass; I got in trouble because my dad found out I had lied.) Say: Sometimes we think we get away with things when we lie but most of the time, we get in even bigger trouble when we are found out. Even when our parents, teachers, and friends don t know we re lying, God knows. God is disappointed when we tell lies. Telling the truth is important to God. Listen to this Bible verse about truth and lies, and be ready to tell me why the truth is better than lies. Read Proverbs 12:19 from a child-friendly Bible version, such as the New Living Translation in the Hands-On Bible. Hold up the flashlight. Turn it on and off one time, and then say: When something stands the test of time, that means it lasts and lasts. Words that are true last forever! And if a lie is exposed, that means it is no longer hidden. If we lie, sooner or later the truth will shine light onto it, like a flashlight shining into a dark corner, and the lie won t be hidden anymore. Turn on the flashlight, and sweep the light across the children s faces; then turn off the flashlight. Ask: Why are truthful words better than lies? (Because they last a really long time; because they are right.) What does the Bible mean when it says truthful words will stand the test of time? (It means something that s true will always be true; lies will be found to be wrong, but true things are always true.) What does the Bible mean when it says lies are soon exposed? (Lies will be found out; lies don t have any truth in them.) Say: Let s show that truth lasts forever but lies last only for a minute before they are exposed. Have the children pass around the big eraser. As it comes to each child, have him or her erase one L from his or her paper and try to erase one T. Continue passing the eraser around the circle until all the L s have been erased. Put away the big eraser. Say: Look at your papers only the T s remain. All of the lies have been erased. There are lots of truths that will last forever. For example, God s Word is truth. No matter what, God s Word will always last, just like God s love. God is pleased when we tell the truth. And we know that the truth lasts forever. We can be proud of ourselves when we tell the truth, especially when it s hard to do. Let s learn what to do when it s hard. Closing n Guide and Teach SUPPLIES: Bible Ask: What is the most important thing you remember from today s lesson? (That God is happy when I tell the truth; that I can be true to God; that Jesus is the truth and if I follow him, I will please God.) Have the children stand in a big circle with lots of room between them. 181

10 Lesson 13 Say: We know that God is pleased when we tell the truth. But sometimes it s hard to tell the truth. Sometimes it s easier to tell a lie. But telling lies is never the right thing to do. Think about when it s hard to tell the truth. When we have a hard time telling the truth, we feel confused. Watch the streamer wand. I am going to wind it along a confused path while you re thinking about how hard it is to tell the truth. Hold the streamer wand by the end, and swing it in front of you in a random pattern. Make the streamers do circles and dips and squiggles in the air. Stop twirling the streamer wand and ask: What was the most confusing thing about watching the streamer wand? (I didn t know which way it would go next; it kept moving in opposite directions.) How is watching the streamers moving everywhere like when you are having trouble telling the truth? (Whenever I m about to get in trouble, I get scared and don t know what to say, the way I didn t know which way the streamers would go; when my friends want me to do something wrong, it s like trying to follow a streamer when you don t know which way is right.) How do you feel when you re having trouble telling the truth? (Confused; scared; frustrated.) Give each child a chance to move the streamer wand in a random pattern. Say: We can feel confused and all mixed up when we re having trouble telling the truth. We can feel like this streamer wand, moving all over the place. But God promises to help. Listen to this verse from the Bible. Read Psalm 25:5. God promises to lead us and teach us what is true. Then, instead of being out of control as the streamer wand was before, we ll be on course. Twirl the streamer wand in a small circle close to the ground. And we ll be able to stand up and tell the truth. Raise your hand to about waist high as you continue to twirl the streamer wand in a small, horizontal circle. The streamers will rise in the air and look as if they re standing in a tall column. Give each child a chance to twirl the streamer wand in a small circle near the ground and raise his or her hand so the streamers rise in the air and look like they re standing in a tall column. Have the children hold their arms away from their bodies. Say: Let s ask God to guide us and teach us to tell the truth, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. To show that we want to tell the truth, let s stand in the shape of a T during this prayer. Have the children stand and extend their arms to form T s. Pray: God, sometimes it s hard to tell the truth. We feel confused and off course when we have trouble finding the truth. But, God, we know that you are truth. We can follow you, and you will keep us on the right path. Help us stand up for the truth every day. We know that you are pleased when we tell the truth. In Jesus name, amen. 182

11 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship False Gods Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the Growing Together handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your children. Encourage children and parents to use the handout to plan meaningful activities on this week s topic. Follow up the Growing Together activities next week by asking children what their families did together. 183

12 School 13: God is pleased when we tell the truth. Bible Story Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship false gods. (Daniel 3:1-30) Bible Key Verse No The eye Lord has detests seen, no lying ear lips, has heard, but he and delights no mind in has those imagined who what tell the God truth has prepared (Proverbs for 12:22). those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9b). Protected Today your child learned that it s important to tell the truth and to live the truth. The children found out that lies will pass away, but God s truth is enduring. The children also discovered that God will guide them and teach them what is true. Use these ideas in your home this week to help your child learn to tell and live for the truth every day. School Truth Give each family member a 1-foot-long piece of foil, and have each person put bite-size pieces of carrots, potatoes, onions, and stew meat on the foil. Pour 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce on top. Seal the foil, and cook the pouches on your barbecue grill for an hour. Compare God s protection of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace to the way the foil protected your dinner from the flames. One family member might say the three men s characters were improved by their fiery troubles just as your meal was improved by cooking. Someone else might say the Bible story is different because the men weren t burned by the flames. Cover-Ups Put a dot in the center of a piece of paper. Think of a lie that the dot could represent, such as I didn t eat the last cookie. Then think of another lie that must be told to cover up the first lie, such as The dog must have eaten it. Cover the dot with a small piece of paper. Continue thinking of bigger and bigger lies. You might end up saying, A circus parade came down the street, and 11 elephants broke into the house and stole the last cookie. Continue to find bigger items to cover up each lie. Talk about what we should do when we lie instead of covering up the lie with more lies. Cut a schoolhouse shape out of construction paper. Use the illustration as a guide. Talk about how your child can be honest at school. For example, doing one s own work is honest; cheating isn t. Write the ideas on the schoolhouse, and hang it up in your child s room. Belt of Truth Read Ephesians 6:14, and talk about how the belt of truth holds the body armor of God s righteousness securely in place the fact that God is always right and always does the right thing. Then make this simple belt. You ll need 18 lengths of yarn that are long enough to go around your child s waist five times. Lay out the yarn, and fold it in half. Tie a knot a few inches from the folded end to form a loop. Separate the yarn into three sections, and braid them. Tie a knot at the end of the braid. Wrap the belt around your child s waist, and slip the knotted end through the looped end. Use the belt as a reminder to always tell the truth. 184 Permission to photocopy this handout from Group s Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 1 & 2 granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO group.com