Let's talk about BEING A BAD SPORT.

The Bible says: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who
weep." (Romans 12:15)

Bad sports are not happy unless they win.

When bad sports lose they often

pout,cry, or throw a tantrum
1
Bad sports lie so that they can win.

Bad sports cheat so that they can win.

Bad sports criticize other people so that they can win.

The people who have been criticized often lose because they feel bad about
themselves.

2
Bad sports are not good winners.
When they win, they act as though they are better than the people who have lost.

When bad sports win, they say and do things to make the people who have lost
feel bad.

No one likes to be around a bad sport. This is why you should not be one.
Instead, you should try to be a good sport.

3
Good sports realize that no one can win all of the time.
They know that every person wins some of the time and every person loses some
of the time.
They also realize that losing does not make you a bad person and winning does
not make you a good person.

Good sports lose graciously. Even though they may not like to lose, they
congratulate the people who have won.

4
When good sports lose, they allow the winners to enjoy winning. Good sports
make the winners feel as though they did well and deserved to win.

Good sports are good winners. When they win, they say and do things to make
the people who have lost feel good.

When good sports win, they say nice things about the people who have lost.
They also encourage the people to try again.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

5
If you do not want other people to be bad sports, you should not be a bad sport.

Let's talk about BEING CARELESS.

The Bible says: "This is what the Lord God says, 'Give careful thought to your
ways'." (Haggai 1:5)

You are being careless when you act as though you do not care about yourself.
You are being careless when you act as though you do not care about the people
and things around you.

6
Being careless can cause you to hurt yourself.

Being careless can cause you to hurt other people.

Being careless can cause you to damage or destroy something.

It is not good to be careless.

You need to BE CAREFUL instead.
7
When you are careful you act as though you care about yourself.
When you are careful you act as though you care about the people and things
around you.

Be careful.
OBEY THE RULES.
The adults who are responsible for you know what you need to do to keep
yourself and others safe. They also know what you need to do to take care of the
things around you.
The rules they make can help you to be careful.

Be careful.
PAY ATTENTION.
Think about what you are doing. If you do, you will make fewer mistakes.

8
Be careful.
SLOW DOWN.
If you do, you will avoid the accidents that often happen when you are in a
hurry.

Be careful.
LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING.
If you do, you will avoid tripping and bumping into things.

9
Be careful.
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND SOUNDS AROUND YOU.
They may be warning you that danger is near. If you listen and respond to them,
you may avoid a dangerous situation.

Be careful.
DO NOT PLAY TOO ROUGHLY.
Someone might get hurt, or something might get broken if you play too roughly.
No one will get hurt, and nothing will get broken if you play carefully.

Be careful.
DO NOT PLAY WITH DANGEROUS THINGS.
If you avoid playing with dangerous things, you will avoid hurting yourself and
others.

10
Be careful.
DO NOT PLAY IN DANGEROUS PLACES.
If you avoid playing in dangerous places, you will avoid hurting yourself and
others.

It is not good to be careless.

It is better for you to be careful.

11
A Bible character who was CARELESS.
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers born to Isaac. Esau was a hunter and one day
he went off to hunt. When he arrived back home he was very hungry and
exhausted from his hunting trip. His brother Jacob was just then cooking a stew.
"Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!" he asked Jacob.

Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." The birthright was a set of special
privileges that belonged to the firstborn son. Since Esau had been born a few
minutes before Jacob the birthright was Esau's. This meant he would get a
double amount of inheritance plus a special blessing from their father Isaac.

"Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" He
wasn't actually about to die; after all, he was home again. But he certainly was
careless.
Jacob said, "Swear to me first that you will sell me your birthright."
So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau some
bread and some lentil stew, which he quickly ate.

So Esau did not care about his birthright. This meant he also did not care about
God’s promise to make a great nation from his descendants, one of whom would
be the Saviour of the world. Being careless about something this important made
Esau very sorry later.

12
Let's talk about CHEATING.
The Bible says: "Do not defraud [cheat]." (Mark 10:19 NKJ)

Everyone who plays a competitive game wants to win. But everyone cannot win.
If someone is going to win, someone else must lose.

No one likes to lose. Losing is not fun.

13
When you lose, you may think that it is because you are not so smart or so
"good" as the person who won. You might think that you are dumb or "no good."

When you do not feel good about yourself, you may think that you cannot do
anything. You might begin to feel that you will never win.

If you lose often, you may begin to think that you must CHEAT in order to win.
Breaking the rules dishonestly when you play a game is CHEATING.

14
Before you decide to cheat, think about it.
There are other things you can do to make sure that you win at least some of the
time.
To begin with, you should try to play with someone who is somewhat equal to
you.
This means that you should not always play with someone who is older or more
experienced than you.

If you must play with someone who is older or more experienced than you, try to
play games where skill and practice are not important. Play games that anyone
can win. Then let luck decide who the winner will be.

Instead of cheating to win, try to play games that you know you have a chance to
win.
Do not always play games that you know you are going to lose.

15
Before you begin playing a game, find out exactly what the rules are.
Make sure that the rules are understood by you and everyone who is playing with
you.

Once you know what the rules are, follow them exactly.
Do not do anything that is against the rules.
Do not try to change the rules in the middle of a game.

When you play a game with someone, try to remember that you are playing for
fun.
Winning should not be more important than having a good time. Try to enjoy the
fun you are having while you are playing.
16
Don't worry about winning or losing.

If people cheat while you are playing a game with them, talk to them kindly
about it.
Tell them that you know they are cheating. Ask them to stop it.

If people keep cheating after you have talked with them about it, do not play
with them anymore.
No one likes to play with someone who cheats.
This is why you should not cheat. If you want people to play with you, you must
not cheat.

17
Remember, no one wins all the time. When you do lose—
do not think of yourself as a loser;
do not think that you will never win;
do not give up or stop trying;
think about the things you are good at;
remember the times you have won.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not want other people to cheat, you must not cheat.

18
A Bible example of someone who CHEATED
Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. Esau was born first and therefore
had the right to Isaac's special blessing which would pass to Esau and his
children forever.
One day Isaac planned to give him the blessing. So Isaac sent Esau to go hunting
and make him his favorite meal before receiving the blessing.

When Jacob's mother heard what was happening, she told Jacob to disguise
himself with furry animal skins so that Isaac, who was now blind, would think
that Jacob was really his hairy brother Esau.

Jacob wore the skins and took Isaac's favorite meal to him, so that he would
receive the blessing instead of Esau. Isaac was tricked and gave the special
blessing to Jacob.

In this way, Jacob cheated his brother out of something that belonged to Esau—
the family blessing. But later in life, Jacob paid the price for his cheating when
someone else cheated him for years.

19
Let's talk about COMPLAINING.
The Bible says: "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and
arguing." (Philippians 2:14)

When people are not pleased with something and say so, they are
COMPLAINING.
To COMPLAIN is to say that something is wrong. It is finding fault with
something.

When you are around a person who complains a lot—

how do you feel?
what do you think?
what do you do?

20
When you are around a person who complains a lot—
you may feel unhappy and disappointed;
you may begin to think that the person is not fun to be with;
you may decide that you do not want to be around the person.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not want people to complain a lot around you, you must not complain a
lot around them.

21
Too much complaining can bother the people around you. It can hurt you as
well.
Too much complaining can make you feel badly. This is because complaining
causes you to think about the bad instead of the good things around you.

Thinking about the bad things around you can put you into a bad mood.

22
When you are in a bad mood. you will be unhappy and most likely have a bad
day.
You may also say or do things that would possibly hurt you or other people.

Thus complaining can be harmful to you and to others.

This does not mean that you should not say anything when something is really
wrong.
Once in a while it may be necessary for you to complain.

Think before you complain. Complain only if your complaint will help to change
something that needs to be changed.
If things cannot be changed, accept them the way they are and do not complain.

23
When you must complain, do it kindly. Try not to shout or to throw a tantrum.

When you complain, try to suggest things that could be done to solve the
problem.

Once you are sure that your complaint is understood, listen to what the other
person has to say.

24
If he or she shows you that your complaint is not fair, drop it.
If he or she suggests a good solution to the problem, follow it.

Try to think about the good instead of the bad things around you.
Enjoy and talk about them.

The less you complain, the more you and the people around you will be happy
and enjoy life.

25
A Bible example of people who COMPLAINED
Long ago, a man named Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt.

They were heading for a land that God had promised to them but first they had to
go through a wilderness. It was a very difficult journey and the people
complained often. One time they complained against God and against Moses for
bringing them to a wilderness where there was no food and no water.
In fact, God had been providing all their needs all along the way. So when He
heard their complaining, God sent some poisonous snakes into their camp and
many people died.

But Moses prayed to God for the people, and God provided a cure. He told
Moses to make a brass snake and put it up on a pole. Anyone who looked at this
brass snake would be cured and live.
When we complain about our situations, we are really complaining against God
who looks after us wisely.
(See Numbers 21)

26
Let's talk about BEING DESTRUCTIVE.
The Bible says: "Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in
others too." (Philippians 2:4)

When you damage something or destroy it you are BEING DESTRUCTIVE.

27
Breaking something is being destructive.
When you break other people's things, you should do everything you can to fix
them. If you cannot fix them yourself, you should try to get someone to fix them
for you.

Ruining something is being destructive.

When you ruin other people's things, you should do everything you can to
replace them.

Making a mess is being destructive.

When you make a mess, you should clean it up.

28
Your curiosity may cause you to be destructive.
When you are curious, you want to learn about things that are new, strange, or
interesting. You might handle something so that you can learn about it. If you do
not know how to handle something the right way, you may break or ruin it.
To make sure that this does not happen, you need to ask questions. Find out what
something is and how it works before you handle it.

You may accidentally be destructive. Without meaning to, you might break or
ruin something.
Be careful so that this will not happen often. Pay attention to what you are doing.
Handle things carefully. Move carefully when you are around things that are
easily broken.

29
Your carelessness may cause you to be destructive. When you do not care about
something, you might break or ruin it.
You need to care about the things around you. Realize that they are important,
and take care of them.

Your anger or frustration may cause you to be destructive. When you get angry
or frustrated you may want to hit, kick, throw, or smash something. The thing
you abuse may get broken or be ruined.
Do not handle anything that could get damaged or be destroyed when you are
angry or frustrated. Wait until you calm down.

30
Someone might tell you that you may not go into an area. This may happen
because the area has things in it that can be broken or ruined. It may also happen
because the person does not think that you will be careful.
Do not go into areas that you have been told to stay out of.

Someone might tell you that you may not touch certain things. This may happen
because the things can be broken or ruined. It may also happen because the
person does not think that you will be careful.
Do not touch things that you are not supposed to touch.

31
If you disobey and are destructive, you may need to be punished.
Hopefully the punishment will help you to learn that you need to obey when you
are asked to leave something alone.

If you are destructive because you do not care, you may need to be punished.
Hopefully the punishment will help you to learn that you must care about the
things around you.

If you choose to be destructive, you may need to be punished.

Hopefully the punishment will help you to learn that you should not be
destructive on purpose.

32
When you are destructive, you often hurt yourself as well as the people around
you. Thus, you should try not to be destructive.

Let's talk about DISOBEYING.

The Bible says: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."
(Ephesians 6:1)

33
When you do not do what your parents ask you to do, you are DISOBEYING
them.
Your parents have good reasons for telling you what to do. Therefore, it is not
good for you to disobey them.

Your parents tell you what to do because they do not want you to hurt yourself or
other people.

Your parents tell you what to do because they do not want you to damage or
destroy your things or other people's things.

34
Your parents tell you what to do because they they want you to be liked by other
people.

Your parents tell you what to do because they want you to be fair.

Parents tell you what to do because they love you and care about the people
around you.
Even so, you may sometimes wonder—
why do my parents get to tell me what to do?
why can't I tell myself what to do?

35
It is best that your parents tell you what to do because they are older and wiser.
They have lived a lot longer than you. Because they have lived longer, they have
learned more.
Because they know more than you, they usually know what is best for you.

It is best that your parents tell you what to do because they are responsible for
you.
If you do something to hurt yourself or others, your parents may be blamed.
They may have to take care of the damage that you have done.

36
To make sure that you obey them, your parents may need to punish you when
you disobey.
A punishment will make you feel badly. It will cause you to be sorry for
disobeying.
It will make you not want to disobey again.

You might want to do the following so that you will not need to be punished:
Find out what your parents want you to do.

Find out what your parents don't want you to do.

Listen to your parents. Give them your full attention when they are talking to
you.
Be sure that you understand your parents. Ask them questions if you are not sure
you know what they mean.

37
If you do not agree with your parents, don't nag them or throw a tantrum. Talk
with them kindly. Give them some time to think about what you have said.
What you say may cause them to change their minds. If it doesn't, don't talk
about it anymore. If you keep talking, you will only frustrate yourself and cause
your parents to become angry.

Once you understand what your parents want, do what they tell you to do.

38
If you should occasionally disobey your parents, don't lie about it. Lying will
only make things worse.
If you should disobey your parents, there are several things you should do:
Tell them the truth.
Tell them that you are sorry (and mean it).
Accept your punishment. Don't be angry with them; remember, it was you who
disobeyed.
Try not to disobey again.

When you obey your parents, you will please them and you will be doing what is
best for yourself.

A Bible example of people who DISOBEYED

39
Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness
on their way to the land God had promised them.

When they got near to this Promised Land, Moses sent 12 spies to find out what
the land was like.

When the spies returned, ten of them told the people they couldn't defeat the
people living in the land because they were much stronger and bigger than the
people of Israel. So the people complained to Moses and decided to disobey God
who had told them He would give them victory if they went.

God was very displeased with their disobedience. So the ten spies who brought a
bad report died of a disease.

And God kept the whole nation of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40
years as a punishment for disobeying Him.

40
Let's talk about BEING GREEDY.
The Bible says: "A greedy man brings trouble to his family." (Proverbs
15:27a)

Sometimes you need to share something with other people.

41
It is important to be fair whenever you share. Sharing is fair when every person
takes his or her fair share.
A fair share is the part of something that a person deserves to have.

Sometimes having a fair share means each person takes the same amount.

Sometimes a fair share is something that a person really needs. Sometimes a fair
share is something that a person has worked for and has earned.

42
Whenever people try to take more than their fair share, they are being greedy.

Sometimes people are greedy because they are always dissatisfied. They are not
happy with what they have. They always want more.

Sometimes people are greedy because they are self-centered. They care much
more about themselves than they care about other people.

43
Sometimes people are greedy because they feel superior:
They feel that they are better than others. They feel that because they are better,
they deserve to have more than other people have.

Sometimes people are greedy because they are not fair.

They do not care whether or not other people have a fair share.

It is not fun to be around people who

Are always dissatisfied,

44
Are self-centered,
Feel superior, or
Are not fair.
Thus, most people do not like to be around greedy people.

Because no one wants to be around greedy people, greedy people are often
unhappy.
If you want to be happy and you want the people around you to be happy, you
will avoid being greedy.

Try not to be greedy. When you need to share, do these things:

Realize that every person deserves a fair share.
Decide what everyone's fair share will be before you share something.

45
Let the people with whom you share things help decide what everyone's fair
share should be.
Ask an adult to help you if you and your friends have a difficult time deciding
what everyone's fair share should be.

Give other people their fair share before you take yours.
Be satisfied with your fair share.
Do not try to take more.
Do not complain about what you get.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated. If you do not
want people to be greedy, you should not be greedy.

46
A Bible character who was GREEDY
Many years ago, a man named Elisha was God's messenger and servant. One day
an army commander called Naaman came to Elisha asking him to heal him of his
terrible disease called leprosy. Through God's power, Elisha healed Naaman who
then wanted to give some big gifts to Elisha. But Elisha refused to accept any
gifts and Naaman headed off for his home.
However, Elisha had a servant whose name was Gehazi. When he heard what
Naaman had offered he was greedy to have these gifts for himself. So he ran
after Naaman and when he caught up to him he made up a story about Elisha
changing his mind. So Naaman gladly gave Gehazi a lot of money and new
clothes.

Gehazi smuggled this loot back home and hid them. But Elisha knew what his
greedy servant had done, and told him, "Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and
to your descendants forever." And immediately, the terrible disease appeared all
over Gehazi's body.

When Gehazi ran after Naaman that day, greedy to get his gifts, he had no idea
that he would get a terrible disease instead.

47
The Bible says, "Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping
the things of this world." (Colossians 3:5 NLT)

Let's talk about BEING LAZY.

The Bible says: "If a man will not work, neither let him eat." (2 Thessalonians
3:10)

Have people ever asked you to do something for them that they could have done
for themselves?

Has someone not helped you when you needed help?

48
Sometimes people will ask you to do something because they are too lazy to do it
for themselves.
Sometimes people will not help you because they are too lazy to help.

When someone is being lazy around you…

how do you feel?
what do you think?
what do you do?

When someone is being lazy around you…

you may feel frustrated and angry;

49
you may think it's too much work to be around the person;
you may choose not to stay around him or her.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not want other people to be lazy around you, you should not be lazy
around them.

If you do not want to be lazy, take care of yourself.

Do not ask anyone to do anything for you that you can do for yourself.
For example, if you need something that you can get for yourself, don't ask
someone else to get it for you.

50
You can also take care of yourself by doing these things:
Keep yourself clean. Take a bath, wash and comb your own hair, and brush your
own teeth.
Dress yourself. Decide what clothes you are going to wear and put them on by
yourself.

If you do not want to be lazy, clean up after yourself.

Keep your bedroom orderly. Keep everything in it picked up.
Help keep your house neat. Put things away after you use them.
Clean up any mess you make.

If you do not want to be lazy, be helpful.

Help out by doing small jobs around your house. Here are just a few things you
could do:
Set the table for meals.
Clean the table after meals.
Empty the trash.
Can you think of more things you could do to help out around your house?

51
Taking care of yourself, cleaning up after yourself, and helping out may not
always be fun. Sometimes these things are work.

Try to be a good sport about your work.

Don't complain about it.
Don't wait to be reminded to do it.
Don't try to get out of doing it.
Don't put it off until later.

52
To make your work more fun, you may want to do these things:
Play a game with yourself. Set yourself a time limit and try to get the job done in
that amount of time.
Reward yourself. Promise yourself that you will do something you really want to
do after you finish your job. Be sure to keep the promise you make to yourself.

If you—
…take care of yourself,
…clean up after yourself, and help out,
you will not be lazy. This will make the people around you happy. It will also
help you to become a better person.

A Bible character who was LAZY

53
In Matthew 25 Jesus told a parable about a man who was about to leave on a
journey. He called his three servants and entrusted each of them with some gold
according to their abilities. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two
bags, and to another one bag.

The first two servants put their money to work and gained more gold. But the
man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his
master's money.
After a long time the master returned and wanted to find out what had happened
with his money. He was very happy with the first two servants who had used
their bags of gold wisely.

But when the third servant told the master that he had hidden the gold in the
ground and didn't do anything with it, the master was very angry. He called him
a "wicked, lazy servant" and said he should at least have deposited his money in
the bank so that it would have gained some interest.
God expects us to use the abilities and things He gives us, with wisdom and hard
work. We must not be like the third servant whose laziness Jesus called
"wicked"!

54
Let's talk about LYING.
The Bible says: "You must not lie."

Have you ever made up a story that is not true?

Have you told the story to other people for fun or to entertain them?
An untrue story that is told for fun or entertainment is called a fantasy.
It is OK to tell fantasies to other people. However, you must remember that the
fantasy is not true. You must also make sure that the other people know it is not
true.

55
Have you ever told someone something that you believed was true, and then
found out that it was not true?
If you do not tell the truth because you do not know the truth, you are making
a mistake.
No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Thus, you should not feel badly
when you, by mistake, do not tell the truth.

Have you ever purposely told someone something that was not true? When you
do this you are not telling a fantasy. You are not making a mistake. You
are lying.
Lying is trying to make another person believe something that is not true. It is
deliberately deceiving or fooling someone.

Lying is not a good thing to do. When you lie, you disappoint other people. You
cause them to wonder if you ever tell the truth.
You cause them to stop trusting you.

56
When people do not trust you, they may not believe you even when you are
really telling the truth.
This is not good. There are times when you need to have people believe you.
Thus, you should not lie.

Some people tell lies with their actions.

Your actions may make a person believe something that is not true. You might
deceive someone by acting in a certain way. When you do this, you are lying.

57
Some people tell lies with their silence.
Your silence may make a person believe something that is not true. You might
deceive a person by not saying anything.
When you do this, you are lying.

Some people tell lies with their words.

Your words may make a person believe something that is not true. You might
deceive a person by saying something that is not true.
When you do this, you are lying.

People usually find out when you lie to them.

58
When people find out that you have lied to them, do not make things worse by
telling more lies.

When you have lied, make things better by telling the truth.
Admit that you have lied.
Say: "I lied to you."

After you admit that you have lied, say that you are sorry.

After you say that you are sorry for lying, do everything you can do to make up
for what you have done wrong.
Then try not to tell any more lies.

59
If you want people to believe and trust you, you must not lie to them.
A Bible example of someone who LIED
Many of the early Christians sold their possessions and gave all the money raised
to help others in need. Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property they
owned. However when they were paid they decided to keep some of the money
but deceive others into thinking they had given it all to God.

Peter saw through their deceit and confronted Ananias. "How is it that Satan has
got you to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep some of the money for yourselves?" he
asked.

"It was your money to do with as you wanted but why did you lie and say you
had given it all? You have not only lied to us but also to God."

60
When Ananias heard this he fell to the ground and died. Some young men
wrapped up his body, carried him out and buried him.

The very same thing happened to his wife Sapphira a few hours later. And the
whole church was shocked as they realized how serious God was about lying.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's talk about BEING MESSY.

The Bible says: "Be sure that everything is done properly and in a good and
orderly way." (1 Corinthians 14:40)

You are being messy when you

spill food on your clothes, or
drop food on the furniture or floor.

61
You are being messy when you
walk into clean areas with dirty feet,
touch furniture or walls with dirty hands, or
sit on furniture while wearing dirty clothes.

You are being messy when you

do not put your trash in trash cans, or
do not put your garbage in garbage disposals or containers.

62
You are being messy when you
do not put things away after you use them,
do not put things where they belong, or
do not put things away neatly.

You can make a mess with things such as crayons, paints, ink pens, clay, or glue.
You are being messy when you get these things on your clothes or your
surroundings.

63
A mess can be displeasing.
Most people enjoy cleanliness, order, and beauty. A mess is not clean. It is not
orderly. It is not beautiful. A mess does not make people happy. It usually makes
them unhappy.

A mess can be frustrating. It is upsetting when you cannot find something you
want or need. It is hard to find something when
There is so much clutter you cannot see where things are, or
Something is not where it is supposed to be.

64
A mess can be destructive.
Your clothes and surroundings can be ruined by messy stains.
Things that are left out can be damaged accidentally.
Things that are not put away carefully can be ruined.

A mess can be dangerous.

People can slip and possibly fall because of messy spills.
People can trip over things that are out of place.

65
Messes can be
displeasing
frustrating
destructive
dangerous
This is why you should not be messy.
Many accidents become messes. You can avoid accidental messes by being
careful.
There are other things you can do to avoid messes.

To avoid a mess:
Cover yourself before you eat or do a project that might be messy. Put something
like a napkin, apron, or smock over your clothes.

66
Cover the area in which you plan to work. Put something like newspapers, an old
sheet, or a tablecloth on the furniture or floor.

To avoid a mess:
Keep yourself and your clothes as clean as possible.
Wash your dirty hands before you touch clean things.
Get the dirt, mud, or sand off your feet before you walk into a clean area.

To avoid a mess:
Do not litter. Put your trash in a trash can and your garbage in a garbage
disposal or container.
Put things away. Put things where they belong after you use them. Put things
away neatly.

67
You and the people around you will be happier if you avoid being messy.

A Bible character who cleaned up a MESS

Long ago a little prince was raised by a priest because his family had all died.
The prince's name was Joash and he lived in Jerusalem.
In the city of Jerusalem there was a great temple for the worship of God. It used
to be a beautiful building but now it had become a mess. Often as Joash and the
priest walked about the Temple buildings together Joash would say, “Why is the
Temple not looked after? Why is this broken pillar not mended, and this door left
lying on the ground?”

68
Then the priest would sadly say, "The people do not care about God’s House
now. No one will help to mend the broken walls and pillars." And Joash
replied, “When I grow up I will clean up the mess in God’s House and make it
beautiful again.”
Then the day came when the priest called the people together and before them all
little prince Joash was crowned King of Judah.

The young King Joash went back to the palace to live, but he never forgot his
promise to clean up the mess in the Temple. So as soon as he was able, he
commanded workers to repair the broken places, make new doors and produce
beautiful furnishings.
When everything had been cleaned up nicely, King Joash called all the people to
come and see the beautiful Temple. When they saw what Joash had done they
shouted for joy and sang together their praises to God.
(For a longer version of this story, see "Know Your Bible" series 4 lesson 6.
Also see 2 Chronicles 24.)

Let's talk about BREAKING PROMISES.

69
The Bible says: "Better not to vow (promise) than to vow and not pay."
(Ecclesiastes 5:5 NKJ)

Have your friends ever disappointed you by not doing something they had told
you they would do?

Have grownups ever disappointed you by not doing something they had told you
they would do?

70
When people do not do what they say they will do, they are BREAKING A
PROMISE.

When someone breaks a promise—

how do you feel?
what do you think?
what do you do?

When someone breaks a promise—

71
you may feel disappointed, frustrated and angry;
you may think that the person cannot be trusted;
you may not believe the person the next time he or she makes a promise.

It is important to treat other people the way that you want to be treated.
If you want other people to keep their promises, you will need to keep your
promises.
If you keep your promises, people will be able to trust you.

When people trust you—

they can depend on you, and they know that you will not let them down;
they know that you will be honest and will not lie.

72
It is important to have people trust you.
If people trust you—
they will believe you;
they will not question or doubt you;
they will respect you;
they will allow you to do more on your own.

If you want people to trust you, you must show them that you can be trusted.

73
To show a person that you can be trusted, be where you say you will
be when you say you will be there.

To show a person that you can be trusted, do what you say you will do.

To show a person that you can be trusted, give what you say you will give.

74
If you want to be trusted, you will need to keep your promises.

If you want to be happy, you will treat other people the way you want to be
treated.
This means that you will keep your promises because you want other people to
keep theirs.

A Bible example of people who BROKE THEIR PROMISES

God called Abraham to be the father of a special group of people whom we
know as the nation of Israel.

75
God made promises to them, and Israel in turn made promises to God. One of
the most important times when they promised to obey God was when they were
camped in the wilderness.
Another time was when they had taken over the Promised Land. When their
leader Joshua was an old man, the people of Israel promised that they would
always obey and serve God.
But they broke their promises time after time, for hundreds of years. Finally,
God punished them by allowing enemy armies to capture them and take them far
away from their homes.

God expects us to keep the promises we make. "A man who makes a vow to the
LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly
what he said he would do." (Numbers 30:2 NTL)

76
Let's talk about BEING RUDE.
The Bible says: "Be kind to one another." (Ephesians 4:32)

When you treat other people as though they are not as important as you are, you
are BEING RUDE.

You are being rude when you insist on being first.

77
When you insist on always having the best for yourself, you are being rude.

You are being rude when you insist on having the most for yourself.

When you insist on always being the center of attention by having everyone
notice you and no one else, you are being rude.

78
You are being rude when you insist on always having your own way.

People who are being rude are being selfish and unkind.
No one likes to be around a person who is rude.

If you do not want to be rude, do not insist on being first.

79
Do not get in front of people or try to push them out of the way so that you can
be first.
Patiently wait for your turn.

Do not insist on always having the best for yourself if you do not want to be
rude.

If you do not want to be rude, do not insist on having the most for yourself.

80
Do not insist on always being the center of attention if you do not want to be
rude. It is OK to have people pay attention to you. But everyone should not have
to pay attention to you and no one else all of the time.

If you do not want to be rude, do not insist on always having your own way.
Things should not always have to happen the way you want them to happen.

If you do not want to be rude—

do not say or do anything that would hurt another person;

do not do anything that would damage or destroy another person's things;

listen when people are talking and do not speak until they are finished talking;

be as quiet as you can around people who are sleeping, resting, talking with
others, thinking, watching TV, or listening to something.

81
It is important that you treat other people the way you want to be treated.
If you do not want people to be rude to you, you must not be rude to them.

A Bible character who was RUDE.

Many years ago Israel's most famous king was a man named David. After he had
been king for a long time, his son Absalom led a rebellion against him.

King David was forced to flee from his palace and the city of Jerusalem. As he
was escaping, a man named Shimei started throwing stones and shouting insults
at David from a nearby hill.

82
Shimei was very rude to the King and said many hurtful things. David's men
wanted to kill Shimei but the King told them to leave Shimei alone. David knew
that God would take care of him. He also knew that God would repay Shimei for
his terrible rudeness in His own time.
(See 2 Samuel 16)

Let's talk about BEING SELFISH.

The Bible says: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts
20:35)

Have you ever been with a person who was eating something and
would not share it with you?

83
Have you ever played with a person who would not share his or her
toys with you?

People who do not share their things with others are SELFISH.
SELFISH people care only about themselves. They do not care about
the thoughts and feelings of other people.

84
When you are with someone who is selfish—
how do you feel?
what do you think?
what do you do?

When you are with someone who is selfish—

You may feel left out, frustrated and angry;
You may think, "This person is not fun to be with";
You may choose not to play with the person.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you want people to share their things with you, you will need to
share your things with them.
You will need to be unselfish.

85
Being unselfish does not mean that you have to share all of your things
all of the time.

If you have something to eat and there is not enough to share with the
person you are with, put the food away.
Try not to eat food in front of a person who does not have anything to
eat.

86
If you are going to share some food or anything else with another
person, try to be as fair as possible.
Here is a good rule to follow when you are dividing something:
Let one person do the dividing and the other person do the choosing.

If you have something special that you do not want to share, do not use
it in front of another person.
That is, unless—
The other person is content not to use it, or
The other person has something else to use.

You do not have to share your things with anyone who may lose or
damage them.
Put your things away if you are afraid this might happen.

87
When you share your things, help the other person take care of them.
Show the person how to use your things in the right way.
Tell the person where to use your things.

If there is only one thing that must be shared by two or more people,
be fair.
Take turns using it.
Let each person use it for an equal amount of time. Someone can
count, or you can use a clock or timer to help keep track of the time.

88
If you want to be happy, you will treat other people the way you want
to be treated.
This means you will not be selfish because you do not want other
people around you to be selfish.

A Bible example of being SELFISH and NOT BEING SELFISH

Jesus once told a story about a man who walked down a certain road.
Along the way, some robbers attacked him, took his robes, and beat
him up, leaving him half dead.

A little later, a priest was going down that road but when he saw the
injured man he decided to be selfish, and walked by on the other side.

Another man soon came along. He went over and looked at the injured
man but then he too decided to be selfish, and walked on by on the
other side.

89
Then a Samaritan who was traveling that way arrived on the scene.
When he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. He went over to him,
poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where
he took care of him.

The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the
innkeeper. "Take care of him," he told the innkeeper, "and when I
come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him."

The man who was not selfish with his time and money has been
famous ever since as the "Good Samaritan".

Let's talk about STEALING.

The Bible says: "You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15)

90
Has someone ever taken something of yours and not returned it?

STEALING is taking and keeping something that does not belong to

you. When you take and keep something that belongs to another
person, you are STEALING.

Whenever someone steals something from you—

you may feel disappointed, frustrated and angry;

you may think that you cannot trust the person;

91
you may not want the person to be around your things.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not want other people to steal from you, you must not steal
from them.

Some people steal accidentally.

This happens when they do not return something that they have
borrowed.

Or it happens when people take something without thinking about it.

When you find out that you have accidentally stolen something, return
it right away.

92
Some people steal on purpose.
They know what they are doing.

They choose to steal.

Sometimes people steal because they want something, or they might

think that they need it.

Sometimes people steal because their friends steal. They may think
that it is OK to steal because their friends do it.
They might not want to be different from their friends who steal.

93
Maybe they think that their friends will like them more if they steal.

Some people steal because they think that it will not make a
difference. They think that no one will notice. They tell themselves
that it will not hurt anyone.

Some people steal because they are angry. They may want to get back
at someone who did something to hurt them.

94
It does not make any difference why people steal. Stealing is wrong. It
is never OK to take and keep something that does not belong to you.

If you should steal something, do something about it right away. If you

have not damaged or destroyed the thing you have stolen, return it.

If you have damaged or destroyed the thing you have stolen, replace it
or pay for it.

After you have returned or replaced what you have stolen, say that you
are sorry and try not to steal again. Ask God to help you not to steal.

95
It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not want other people to steal from you, you must not steal
from them.

A Bible example of STEALING

When the Israelites conquered Jericho, God gave them instructions
that no one was to take any of valuable things they found in Jericho or
there would be trouble. All of it had to be given to God.

96
However, unknown to anyone, one man had secretly stolen some stuff
and hidden it. When the army of Israel attacked the next town, they
suffered a surprising defeat.

When their leader Joshua cried out to God, asking why this happened,
the Lord replied, "Israel has sinned and stolen some of the things that I
commanded must be set apart for me. You will never defeat your
enemies until you remove these things from among you."

When Joshua discovered that the thief was a man named Achan, he
told him to tell the truth and confess what he had done.

Achan confessed, "It is true! I have sinned. I saw a beautiful robe,

some money and a bar of gold. I wanted them so much that I took
them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent."

97
Joshua and the Israelites took Achan, all the stuff he had stolen, his
family, his animals and everything he had. They brought them into a
valley where Achan and his family died. A great heap of stones was
piled over Achan to remind the people of Israel how serious it was to
steal, especially from God.

Let's talk about TEASING.

The Bible says: "Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you!

Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart."

(Proverbs 3:3 NLT)

98
When people annoy you or make fun of you in playful ways, they are

TEASING you.

Has anyone ever teased you about the way you look?

Has anyone ever teased you about the way you think and feel?

99
Has anyone ever teased you about what you say or do?

Has anyone ever teased you about what you like and don't like?

Whenever someone teases you, you probably feel frustrated,

embarrassed, and "put down."

When someone teases you, you may get upset and become angry.

100
People who tease often enjoy frustrating and embarrassing others.

They enjoy upsetting others.

Thus, you please the person who is teasing you when you become

frustrated or upset.

If you want someone to stop teasing you, you must not become

frustrated. You must not get embarrassed or become upset.

To make sure that you do not do these things, you must ignore the

people who are teasing you. Do not pay attention to what they are

saying.

101
If it is hard for you to ignore them, walk away from them. Do not stay

around them while they are teasing you.

It is important to treat other people the way you want to be treated.

If you do not like it when other people tease you, you should not tease

other people.

It is best not to talk about things that a person does not want anyone to

talk about.

You should also not tell another person's secrets.

102
It is best not to say embarrassing things about another person in front

of others.

It is best not to say anything to people that may hurt them.

A good rule to remember is—

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

If you do this, you may be sure that you will not hurt other people.

103
Teasing may hurt someone, so it is best not to do it.

A Bible example of TEASING

God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great

nation. But he and his wife Sarah were getting very old and no baby

had been born to them.

104
So Abraham had a baby with Sarah's servant girl, Hagar. He was

named Ishmael.

But Ishmael was not the son whom God had promised to Abraham.

God's promise was that Abraham would have a son with his wife

Sarah. And this miracle baby was born when Abraham was 100 years

old! His name was Isaac.

The two boys grew up in the same household, but Ishmael was jealous

of his younger half-brother Isaac. The Bible tells us (Galatians 4:29)

that Ishmael constantly teased, mocked and laughed at Isaac.

But Isaac, whom the Bible calls "the son of promise", grew up, got

married, and had a son named Jacob whose named God changed to

"Israel"...and so began the nation God had promised.

105
Let's talk about BEING WASTEFUL.
The Bible says: "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."
(Proverbs 10:4 NIV)

You are being wasteful when you use more of something than you need.

You are being wasteful when you damage or destroy something.

106
It may be impossible to replace the things you waste.
You may run out of something that you need.

You must not be wasteful so that you will have what you need.

There are many things that help you to survive and grow. You need

107
Food
Electricity
Water
Gasoline
Clothes
Supplies
Gas for the stove or furnace
Money

You need food to help keep your body alive and well. Try not to waste it.

Do not take more food than you can eat.

Eat whatever good you take.

Do not play with your food.

You need water to drink. You need it to help keep your body clean. Try not to waste it.

108
Do not let water run unless you are using it.

Do not use more water than you actually need.

Turn the water faucet off completely after you are finished using it. Do not leave it
dripping.

You need clothes to protect your body and help keep it warm. Try not to waste them.

Avoid getting your clothes dirty. Dirt can ruin them. Clothes that must be cleaned often
wear out faster.

Do not damage your clothes.

Do not lose your clothes.

You need gas, electricity, or other kinds of fuel. These things help provide light so that
you can see. They help keep the temperature in your home comfortable. They run the
appliances you and your family use. Try not to waste fuel.

109
Turn the lights off in rooms that no one is using.

Do not turn on the heater or air conditioner unless you have permission to do so.

Turn off any appliance that is not being used.

You need gasoline. It helps move the cars and buses that take you where you need to
go. Try not to waste it.

Ask someone to drive you only when it is necessary.

Whenever possible, walk or ride a bike.

You need supplies like pencils, paper, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, and bandaids. Try not
to waste these things.
Do not use more of anything than you actually need.

110
You need money. Money helps you buy the things you need and want. Try not to waste it.

Do not buy things that you are not going to use.

Buy the things you need before you buy the things you want.
Take care of your money. Do not lose it.

Being wasteful is not good for you or others.

Wastefulness can use up the valuable resources that you need to survive and grow.

Avoid being wasteful.

111
You must take care of the things around you so that you will have what you need.

112