Orderliness: A Spiritual Reinforcement

Transcription

1 Orderliness: A Spiritual Reinforcement Let all things be done decently and in order. I CORINTHIANS 14:40

2 Orderliness You know his proven character Philippians 2:22 Orderliness is the character trait for the month of February. 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 neatness, order, tidiness, method, organization, regulation Antonym confusion, messiness, muddle, chaos, disarray, disarrangement, disorder, disruption Key Verse - Let all things be done decently and in order. I Corinthians 14:40 Related Hymns and Choruses Sing Songs with Your Children! Focus on Orderliness Songs. *Learn Books of the Bible in order. Google (3 minute Bigsby video) * Learn Days of Creation in order. Google (Days of Creation) * What If It Where Today? (Lelia N. Morris ) * Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty (Joachim Neander * I Sing the Mighty Power of God (Isaac Watts ) * How Great Thou Art! (Carl Boberg ) * This Is My Father's World (Maltbie D. Babcock ) * Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas O. Chisholm ) * Tell Me the Story of Jesus (Fanny J. Crosby ) * Have I Done My Best for Jesus? (Ensign Edwin Young - b. 1895) Bible Verses Related to Orderliness 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 Orderliness 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. * Set your house in order (2 Kings20:1) * Set your words in order (Job 33:5) * Swept, and put in order (Matthew 12:44) * Done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40) * To see your good order (Colossians 2:5)

3 Bible Stories as a part of your family devotions. All of these stories emphasize Orderliness. * The story of Creation (Genesis 1-2) * The story of Noah (Genesis 6-8) * God Instructs Moses To Build the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-9) * Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple (II Chronicles 2-4) * Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2-6) Character Definitions * Preparing myself and my surroundings so that I will achieve the greatest efficiency. * Bringing everything within my jurisdiction into conformity with the purposes for which it was created. * Learning to organize and care for personal possessions. * Giving attention to personal grooming. * Learning to write legibly. * Everything in its place How to Demonstrate Orderliness to God * Arrange your schedule to begin each day by spending time with the Lord * Maintain a prayer journal * Recognize and dedicate yourself to His plan and purpose for your life * Follow an orderly Bible-reading program to Parents * Take the initiative and tidy the house for your parents * Purpose to follow your family's schedule * Maintain a clean and orderly room to your Teachers * Dress neatly * Arrive early * Make a project/homework list to your Church Leaders * Help with the maintenance and upkeep of the church building and grounds * Arrive early for church services * Sit quietly in church services * Pray daily for church leaders

4 The "I Wills" of Orderliness * I will pick up after myself * I will keep my work and play areas clean and neat * I will put things back where they belong * I will use things only for their intended purposes * I will return lost things to their rightful owners "Little Things" by Elisabeth Elliot When we were growing up our parents taught us, by both word and example, to pay attention to little things. If you do a thing at all, do it thoroughly: make the sheets really smooth on the bed, sweep all the corners and move all the chairs when you sweep the kitchen, roll the toothpaste tube neatly and put the cap back on, clean the hair out of your brush each time you use it, hang your towels straight on the rod, fold your napkin and put it into the silver ring before you leave the table, never wet your finger when you turn pages. They kept promises made to us as faithfully as they kept those made to adults. They taught us to do the same. You didn't accept an invitation to a party and then not turn up, or agree to help with a Vacation Bible School and back out because a more interesting activity presented itself. When I went to boarding school the same principles I had been taught at home were emphasized. There was a hallway with small oriental rugs which we called "Character Hall" because the headmistress, Mrs. DuBose, could look down that hall from the armchair where she sat in the lobby and spot any student who kicked up a corner of the rug and did not replace it. She would call out to correct him, "It's those tiny little things in your life which will crack you up when you get out of this school!" In the little things our character was revealed. Our response would make or break us. "Don't go around with a Bible under your arm if you didn't sweep under the bed," she said, for she would have no pious talk coming out of a messy room. "Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever therefore may be your office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love" (Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott, b. 1825). It is not easy to find children or adults who are dependable, careful, thorough, and faithful. So many lives seem honeycombed with small failures, neglectful of the little things that make the difference between order and chaos. Perhaps it is because they are so seldom taught that visible things are signs of an invisible reality; that common duties may be "an immeasurable ministry of love." The spiritual training of souls must be inseparable from practical disciplines, as Jesus so plainly taught; "the man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches! And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?" From Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot, p.p , OM Publishing, Carlisle, England, 1996.

5 Discuss the Following Questions with Your Children * Does he\she think ahead? * Can he\she use his time wisely to meet deadlines, or is he\she always hurrying to complete tasks at the last minute? * Can he\she think through the steps required to finish a project? * Can he\she make a list of tasks and prioritize them? * Can he\she find his clothes, school books, sports equipment, etc. when needed? * Is he\she usually prompt? * Is his\her room orderly and neat? * Does he\she forget commitments he\she has made? Projects/Activities * Organize your personal belongings - drawers, closet, desk, toys, books, collections, etc. Ask for guidance if you are not naturally organized. Ask your parents to help label drawers, provide storage space, and inspect on a regular basis. * Work with your father/mother in organizing the garage, basement, pantry, tool box, bookshelves, etc. * With your parents' guidance, select a method for organizing your responsibilities and schedule - calendar, notebook, planning book, etc. * With your parents' guidance, list the tasks you should do during the next week. Prioritize the tasks. * Design a project with a deadline. List all elements of the project and schedule your time in order to finish by the deadline. * Write a plan that will guide you in reading through the entire Bible in one year. * Choose one goal you would like to reach in your spiritual life (i.e., reading the Bible every day, learning to study the Bible, memorizing more Scripture, showing Christ-like love to others, overcoming a particular habitual sin). Make a list of steps you can take to reach that goal. * Learn how to set the table properly. * Begin keeping a prayer journal. Books on Orderliness by Sean Covey by Mercer Mayer by Jane Yolen by Paulette Bourgeois