Lesson 1 Respecting People in Charge

Loving My Family

Respecting People in Charge

Read: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; Romans 13:1-2
Questions for Discussion:
How did David show that he had respect for King Saul?
Do you think it was easy for David to show respect to Saul?
What excuses could David have used to justify killing Saul?
How should we respond when the actions or decisions of those
in authority over us seem unjust?
How can you show that you have respect for people in charge?

- As a family make a list of people who have authority. You might include teachers, bosses, parents and different people in political authority. Do not leave out authorities that you may not agree with or that have opposing views. Brain storm different ways that you can support and show respect to each of these people. Discuss your individual responsibility to respect all of these authorities regardless of how you feel about them, their beliefs, and the decisions they make.

Key Thought: David respected King Saul because God had made Saul the king. King Saul had been trying to kill David, but David was kind to him in return! Some times respecting people isn’t easy, but God wants all of us to respect people in charge. The Bible makes it clear that children are required to respect their parents as an authority over them.

Pray for the people on your list of authorities. Be sure to pray for those who are unsaved, that they might be opened to the gospel. Also, pray that God would help all of your family members to be respectful toward all of the authorities over them.

Activities
Preschool: Remind your child that God wants us to respect people in charge, which includes our parents. Tell your child that you are going to watch them all day long and each time they show you respect (being obedient, helping before they are asked, speaking kindly, or sharing) you will put a marble into an empty glass jar or cup. Make a big deal about putting a marble into the jar each time you “catch” your child being respectful. Look at the jar at the end of the day and talk about all of the great ways that your child was respectful to you.

Play a game of Mother, May I or Dad Says (like Simon Says) with your child. Talk about how, when we do what we are told and use our manners, we are showing respect for people in charge.

Lower Elementary: Help your child acknowledge when they are being respectful to their parents. Write their name on a piece of paper and place stickers by their name every time you find that they are being respectful. Make a big deal about “Catching” them in the act of speaking kindly, sharing, being obedient or helpful. At the end of the day, look at all of the stickers and remember how respectful they were. Pray that God would help them remember to be respectful every day.

Help your child write a thank you note to some one who is in authority over them. It could be a teacher, a pastor, a grandparent or parent. Help them to mail or deliver their note to the person.

Upper Elementary: Show your parents respect by keeping your room clean and making your bed this week, without being asked.

Write a letter to the president, or the governor of Minnesota, or the Mayor of Winona. Thank this leader for serving and tell them why you respect people in charge. Find the person’s address on the internet, in the phone book, or at city hall or court house and then mail your letter of respect! Websites that can help are www.whitehouse.gov/contact , www.senate.gov , or www.astna.org/governors .

Teens: Ask a parent one way that you could show them respect. Do whatever they say out of love and respect.

Is their something your parents have been asking you to do, but that you have been putting off really doing. Do that thing today, and do a great job at it. Clean your room, or bathroom, offer your parents a night out while you babysit your siblings, take out the trash, mow they yard, or anything that you know they want you to do. If you can’t think of anything you have been putting off, then go the extra mile and surprise them by doing something for them that they usually do.