Small Group Leader s Guide Theme : Honesty Date: 25&26 October 2014 Character Focus: Honesty Lesson 2: I will encourage others to tell the truth Definition of Honesty: Honesty is accurately reporting the facts. The children will learn to demonstrate honesty through the 5 I will s namely:- 1. I will tell the truth. 2. I will encourage others to tell the truth. 3. I will admit it when I am wrong. 4. I will not exaggerate to make things seem different from what they are. 5. I will not cheat or steal. Memory Verse: The Lord hates those whose lips tell lies. But he is pleased with people who tell the truth. Proverbs 12:22 (NIRV) Bible Passage: Acts 5:1-11 Introduction We are going to teach the children on the foundational values on character Honesty. There will be 4 lessons on Honesty. Lesson Bible Story Character Action Point 1 Jesus I will tell the truth. Mark 14:53-65 2 Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:1-11 I will encourage others to tell the truth. 3 Abraham and Sarah Genesis 20:1-28 I will admit when I am wrong. I will not exaggerate to make things seem 4 Achan Joshua 7 different from what they are. I will not cheat or steal. Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 1
Connect/ Ice-breaker Secret Message (5 mins) Logistic Mask (GKidz will provide) [Leader, put on a mask and ask the children:] "Why do people wear masks?" (So they can pretend to be something or someone they aren t; or, to hide who or what they really are.) Is it possible to hide who we are or pretend to be someone else without wearing a mask? (Yes!) The husband and wife in our lesson today tried to fool all their friends in their church group by pretending to be something they were not. Do you think they fooled God? Why not? (God is all-knowing!) Lead the children to pray Dear God, You hate that which is false. It grieves Your heart when we are dishonest. There is no such thing as a little white lie. All falsehood is sin to you. I pray that today as we learn about the horrible consequences to Ananias and Sapphira for telling lies, it will prick our hearts and cause us to strive to be honest in all we think, say, or do. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Story Time (35 mins) God dislikes Liars Tell the children the following story and ask them to decide what they would have done if they were Charlie: A young boy was playing baseball with his friends when his mother s voice came loud and clear, calling, Charlie, Charlie! He instantly threw down his bat, picked up his jacket and cap, and started for home. Don t go yet; finish the game! cried the other players. I must go right this minute. I told my mother I would come when she called, was Charlie s response. Pretend you didn t hear, said the boys. But I did hear, said Charlie. She won t know you did. But I know it, and I ve got to go. One of the boys finally said, Oh, let him go. You can t change his mind. He s tied to his mother s apron string. He s such a baby he runs the minute she calls What would you have done? Explain that we all face situations each day that require us to choose between being honest and being dishonest. Ask the children to think about the results of the choices made by Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira. Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 2
In today s Bible story, we will look at Ananias and Sapphira. This story is found in Acts 4:32 5:10, show the video to the children. TL please ensure that all the groups are ready when you play the video from the GKidz Easy Worship laptop. Video http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=9291jmnu (3.35mins) Review Questions: 1) What did the church leaders ask the members of the Church to do so that everyone would have what they needed? (Ans: They brought the money from the sales of their lands and houses to the church.) 2) How was Barnabas honest in what he did? (Ans: Barnabas sold a field he owned. He brought all the money from the sale to the church.) 3) What do you think being honest means? (Ans: Telling the truth, not stealing or cheating, not deeiving in any way etc.) 4) How were Ananias and Sapphira dishonest? (Ans: Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold some land an he kept part of the money for himself.) 5) What might have happened to Sapphira if she had been honest? (Ans: She would be alive.) Deeper Questions: 1) Who can be hurt when a person is dishonest? (Ans: We will hurt ourselves and others as they will lose trust of us, they will be disappointed, etc.) 2) What are the consequences if you are dishonest? (Leader can share a personal example.) 3) What are the consequences of being honest? (Leader can share a personal example.) 4) Who always knows when we are telling the truth? (Ans: God) 5) What can you do to help others be honest? Character Review (10 mins) Logistics: Laminated card of the 5 I wills (GKidz will provide) Leader says: Last week, we learnt the first I will of honesty. Can anyone remember what that first I will is? [I will tell the truth] Did anyone note down every time you tell a lie last week? How did God help you not to lie [Hear from a few children how did God help them not to lie.] Today we are going to learn the second I will, which is I will encourage others to tell the Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 3
truth. Now, I want everyone to say to the person on your left and right I will encourage others to tell the truth. We also learnt from the story that God does not like it when we lie to Him or to anyone else. And we should respect God and be truthful. We should also help those around us to do the same. Activity (15 mins) Materials needed: Index cards, one set for each group (GKidz will provide) Purpose: This game can help children understand that the long-term consequences of honesty are always better than the long-term consequences of dishonesty. The Consequence Game: GKidz will prepare pairs of simple index cards or small sheets of paper. On one side of each of the cards in the pair describe two alternative courses of action - one honest and one dishonest - along with the short-term consequences of each action. Fill out the other side of the cards so that when the two cards are flipped over, the long-term consequences are revealed. Play it as a game, letting children decide, by looking at the front sides only, which option they would take. Index Cards Front Sides of Cards Reverse Sides of Cards You are at the store buying something and the clerk gives you $10 too much change. You keep it. After all, it was his mistake and not yours. You go into the toy store next door and buy some new handle grips for your bike. You know the money wasn't yours. You start to worry that the clerk will have to pay the store $10 out of his wages. Whenever you ride your bike, the new handle grips remind you that you were dishonest. When the clerk gives you the $10 change, you tell him he has given you too much and give the $10 back to him. He says thanks, but as you walk out, you start thinking about the new handle grips you You feel good and strong inside because you were honest. Whenever you ride your bike, you remember that you need handle grips, but you also remember that you were honest. Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 4
could have bought with the $10. You are sitting in class taking a really hard test that you forgot to study for. The girl across the aisle seems to know all the answers, and her paper is so easy to see. You copy a few answers and end up getting an A- on the test. Your conscience bothers you. You know that you didn't deserve the A. You wonder if anyone saw you cheating. It's a little hard for you to get to sleep that night. On the next test you're unprepared again. You're a little mad at yourself for not studying harder and you're really worried about your grade. Still, you keep your eyes on your paper and do your best. Unfortunately your best that day is only a C on the test. You resolve to study harder. Next test you do better. You like yourself because you know you are honest. Other people like you because they know you can be trusted. Develop other cards to meet your own situation. Let the short-term consequence of a dishonest act be good, the long-term consequence bad. After playing the game ask the question, "What could a person do if he made the dishonest choice and felt bad about it afterward? (He could return the money, apologize, etc.) Review Memory Verse (5 mins) Memory Verse: The Lord hates those whose lips tell lies. But he is pleased with people who tell the truth. Proverbs 12:22 (NIRV) Put each word on a separate sheet of paper. Mix up the words and ask the children to return to the correct order. Time the group to see how quickly they can unscramble the memory verse. Application for the week 1) This is a motivational way to get children to evaluate their personal honesty every week. Ask the children to journal the respond to this question for the whole of this week, "Which situation this past week was a challenge for me to be honest?" Have an Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 5
"award" on hand to give to the person who remembers the best incident of being honest when the children come back next week. A piece of construction paper or coloured card with a neatly printed H.U.P. (Honesty Under Pressure) will do nicely as the award. Let the child (or adult) who wins put it on his bedroom door during the week until it is awarded again the next week. 2) After a couple of weeks of "getting used to," you will find that children are willing to think hard about their behaviour of the past week in hopes of winning the award. And it is this kind of thinking and recognition that strongly reinforces honesty. Parent s Toolkit (5 mins) Remind the children to do these at home with their parents. 1. Go through pages 31 to 32 of Booklet A Foundational Values, Character Development Parents Toolkit. 2. Go through Week 2 of the Star Action Chart and earn as many stars as you can. References 1. Kids of Integrity Bible Stories about honesty 2. Character First Education Series 1, Booklet 3 3. Sunburst Visual Media Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 6