Hello again youngins and welcome back for another week of “What Do You Look Like To God?” Last week we talked about kindness and goodness as fruits of the spirit. This week we will cover the next two fruits: Faithfulness and Gentleness. As a refresher, I have included the scripture we have been referencing for this study from the book of Galatians below.
“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23
Can anyone tell me what they think faithfulness means? How would you describe it to a friend?
According to the bible, faithfulness is a commitment [pledge] of loyalty and trustworthiness to God and others. It means honoring one’s promises and obligations, and keeping your faith, even in moments of adversity [trials]. Can anyone provide an example of what faithfulness would look like? How about…faithfulness to a friend? For example, keeping a pinky promise? I don’t know about you guys, but pinky promises were and are still a big deal to me. I know it sounds funny, but the reason behind this is because a pinky promise represents a sacred promise, not just any ordinary one. It is a sign of not only the importance of what is being promised, but also the dedication behind keeping that promise. It represents a deeper commitment [pledge], therefore making it a bigger, more meaningful responsibility. This is the kind of promise that God wants from His children. Faithfulness, that despite whatever is going on around you, is unshakable [steadfast] and immovable [secure], because we know that He will ALWAYS come through.
What about gentleness? What do you guys think it means and how would you explain it to a friend? Gentleness in the bible is described as one who embodies [demonstrates] patience, kindness and self-control. It is considered a virtue [behavior based on high moral standards] often linked to meekness [strength under control, calm gentle disposition], humility [submissiveness to God, modesty in action and approach] and a willingness to accept correction. What are some ways someone can show true, genuine gentleness to another? Have any of you ever had a disagreement with your bestie? Or how about someone you love deeply…maybe a parent? Grandparent? Sibling? Is it safe to say, that you approach them a little differently than others? You cover yourself in just a little more patience when dealing with them, and maybe just a little more understanding when handling them. Your love for them makes you a little more tolerant of their actions, wrong or not. Your love for them makes you not want to see them hurt, even when they’ve hurt you.
Gentleness is something that God grants us everyday. His gentle [not to be mistaken with WEAK] approach with us is not only a representation of who He is, but also of the love He has for us. God meets us where we are. He doesn’t say to us, “Hey, when you learn to act how I want you to act, I’ll be kind and just to you. When you learn how to do what I want you do, then I will love you.” NO. God is gentle to us even in our MESS. He doesn’t just get upset with us and now start denouncing us. He doesn’t take pleasure in insulting or berating [rebuking] us. He is FAITHFUL in His promise, that even as sinners, He will still love us just the same, today, tomorrow, and always [Hebrews 13:8].
Living in agreement with the Holy Spirit takes patience, resiliency [strength] and perseverance [persistence]. However, when you choose to walk in God’s light, He will equip [prepare, provide] you with the things you need to be successful in your walk. What are some other ways you can show kindness and goodness towards others today?
Interactive Activity: Divide the letters of “FAITHFULNESS & GENTLENESS” [& sign included] evenly amongst the group and encourage each child to design their assigned letter(s) to their liking. These letters will then be collected, stored away with the prior weeks letters (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness & Goodness) and used at a later date for the creation of a “bigger picture” activity.
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