In our culture today we can see evil being celebrated and truth silenced. If you don’t go along with the crowd you can be labeled as intolerant or even hateful. God’s truth never changes, despite what our culture may say. With God we can be people who call out to the multitude headed for destruction and point them to truth and life. Even if we are mocked or ignored we can remember that God loves us deeply and calls us his own.
INTEGRITY: Following God inside, outside, and everywhere!
MEMORY VERSE: “People with integrity walk safely, but thosewho follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” PROVERBS 10:9 (NLT)
This Week’s Finish Line: People of Integrity Share God's Truth Even When It's Not Popular
More than likely, the story of Micaiah (my-kai-ya) from 2 Chronicles 18 is unfamiliar to most of us. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Israel were about to head into battle. Jehoshaphat knew they needed to ask the Lord what they should do so Ahab brought in his prophets who told him whatever he wanted to hear. They praised the king and said he would be victorious. Then Micaiah entered and shared God’s word with them, even though it wasn’t popular. He told them that all of Ahab’s prophets were lying and if they went to war King Ahab would die. Despite his warning, the kings went to battle and everything the Lord promised through Micaiah came true.
Family Questions:
- What are some differences between the 400 prophets of King Ahab and Micaiah?
- When are you tempted to go along with the crowd just so no one gets upset?
- If you were walking into a disaster, would you rather be praised by a crowd or have one friend like Micaiah who would warn you and tell the truth? Why? How can you be that friend to someone?
- Even if you make the right choice and follow God, does that mean things are always going to work out perfectly for you here on earth? Does that change God’s truth? Why/why not
Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:
* Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.
Teacher : Integrity Can Be Hard
At dinner this week, discuss why choosing integrity can be really hard at times. Talk to your family about how integrity is often going against the grain by staying true to what is right even though it would be easy not to. David in 1 Samuel 24:1-13 made a choice to trust that God’s ways are perfect by not ending Saul’s life, even though it would have been easy and his men were telling him to.
Friend: How Can I Help?
Ask your kids where it is the hardest for them to live with integrity. Are they at school? At home? With their friends? Tell them where it is hard for you then ask them to help you in those areas and also commit to helping them in their areas.
Counselor: Integrity is a Heart Issue
As you are putting your kids to bed this week be discussing with them about how integrity is not just our actions, but rather the position of our heart. Talk about how we are incapable of having a life of integrity on our own. Having integrity starts with our hearts, and we are unable to have changed hearts without the power of Jesus. Spend some time praying for God to give you hearts that love and trust Him, and that through His power you would live lives of integrity.
Coach: Bible On Point!
During your week spend time with your kids highlighting in your bible (or your child’s) some great Bible passages about integrity. 1 Kings 9:4-5, Psalm 41:11-13, and Proverbs 21:3 are just a few. Read the whole chapter that these verses are found in, and look at the context of the story or place in the Bible that they are in.
Prayer
Thank God that His truth never changes, despite what our culture says. Thank Him for giving you the strength to stand up and share the truth whether it’s easy or not popular.
Looking Ahead
Next week we will begin looking at the character trait of GENEROSITY for the month of November. We will head back into the Gospels to learn how God gives generously.
THIS WEEKEND will be our Pumpkin Gospel event! Click here to see details of the event for Dallas and Plano!
If you're unable to make it to the Pumpkin Gospel event, here is a handout that you can use with your family, friends, and neighbors!
Image via Flickr Creative Commons