What is the current mindset of our youths? Lets find out.

Activity: Get your youths to write down as much complaints as possible about their family. It could be about their family in general or one particular individual of their family. After that mix up the different pieces of paper and read it out to them. Have them guess who wrote that complaint. To spice things up even further. You could get four containers. Labeled father, mother, sibling and others haha. Ask them to place their complaints in the respective boxes and see which one gets the highest. I highly recommend you to join in. Oh and keep the complaints we need it for later!

Point of the activity: We all have complained or judged our family members one way or another whether in thought or deed.

Lesson: 

Key points: 

1) Realisation of unloving mindset.

2) Why is that mindset wrong?

3) Chosen change agent

Key point 1: Realisation of unloving mindset

How do we treat our parents and family members? Do we treat them with love and respect? I believe we all struggle with that. And we all have our complaints about our family. By the number of complaints you can see that we do judge a lot.

At this point you should break up into smaller groups and illicit the different mindsets and thoughts towards their family from your youth. Get them to share them with you. 

In Romans 2: 1-8, the Jews in paul's day complained a lot as well. They complained heavily about the Gentiles and the way they were doing things? Dont we do the same when we see eye to eye with our family? Dont we judge them as well?

Key point 2: Why is that mindset wrong?

In Romans 2:2-3 states when you pass judgement onto someone, you condemn yourself since dont you do the same things.

Its like the pot calling the kettle black, since we are just as black. Havent we all fallen short of God's glory?

Romans 3:23: all have fallen short of God's glory.

We are all in the same boat.

Some of your kids may argue or point out. That sometimes they didnt do anything wrong. Sometimes its their parents who have made the mistakes. If we didnt do anything wrong. Does that give us the right not to show love and grace to our parents?

The answer is found in Matthew 18: 21-34 ( Parable of the unmerciful servant)

God has forgiven us for our sins, shouldnt we forgive our parents as well? Shouldnt we hold our tongue?

Key Point 3: Chosen change agent

Then what kind of mindset should we have as christians? We must realise that we are choosen by God as christians. he has placed us in our families for a reason! That is to be the salt and light of the world, even to the world of our families. Even as i write this, my mom is nagging at me to get of the computer and go back to camp. haha.

That every single small action of grace and love counts. Why does it count? 

Matthew 5:13-16, verse 16 especially, verse 16 says In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.

Every single small action counts cause they too will be brought closer to God and with that comes transformation. Its like if two people have similar goals, similar purposes in life, a similar outlook an perspective on life. They will naturally become closer. The reason why you act is cause the end result is that God glory will be seen.


The bible then also teaches us how one should carry himself as a christian. Even behind close doors in our house. Dont you think the ones who deserve most of our energy and time are the ones who had to deal with us since we were babies.

Colossians 3:1-4 and 12-13

Since we were raised with God and now righteous. This has many implications on the way we live our lives.

Verse 2: We now have the power to act as a righteous man is. One that sets his mind on things above.

Verse 12-13: We are chosen by God, to be his people again. As his people we bear with each other and forgive  whatever grievances you may have against one another. Why should we do all this? Cause the Lord our God has first forgiven you of all your sins.

 

And after all the bible says so clearly as well about obeying our parents

Colossian 3:20: Obeying your parents means pleasing God
 Exodus 20:12: ten commandments

Really at the end of the day. We obey our parents cause God our father in heaven has loved us as his children first.

Ill leave you with this.

Alex