Wisdom finds teaching in what foolishness dismisses!
Enjoy, wise leaders!
Thaw
- What is most on your mind right now, no matter what it has to do with?
- How often is this topic in the forefront for you?
- Why do you think it's worth thinking so much about?
- What from Sunday's message most stuck with you?
- What changes within yourself seemed necessary?
- What frustrated you?
Read
- Deut 4:9
- Thoughts?
- What does it mean to "heed yourself" or "watch yourself closely" in the context of also teaching your children?
- Why is "self-control" so key in ensuring the success of the next generation(s)?
- What is the difference between self-socntrol and fixation on children?
Read
- Proverbs 3:21-26
- Proverbs 4:20-22
- Proverbs 6:20-23
- Thoughts?
- Themes?
- What's the difference between teaching your kids information and showing them how to live?
- What's the difference in how this is done?
- Were you raised mostly by the giving of information or the giving of examples?
- How has that affected you as an adult?
- Is one easier? Which? Why?
Discuss
- What does it mean to live a great story as a parent?
- How does the story you feel you are living (as a parent, a son or daughter, employee, etc...) compare with the story you feel like you are supposed to be living.
Leader note: Help your group members understand that discontentment isn't the point here. The point is willfully not living a good story for fear of difficulty, loss of respect, fear of failure, etc. This isn't simply about chasing every ambition in the name of making something of ourselves; rather, it's about not settling for cultural programming at the expense of the story God has for us to live. Example: Generosity often gets overwritten by anxious greed and statements like "when I make $XXXX then I'll be a giver!". For some, forgiveness and love are pushed back in the name of "getting on with it" or "don't have time for drama". In examples like these, often the better story is not being lived, although it's clearly calling from the background, all the time. Our children, though, don't hear the calling or understand our procrastinations. They only observe the life we've settled for, and learn from our observable prioritizations what is "best", no matter what words we tell them!
Apply
- What are things you would like for your children to be known by?
- How does one teach a child this?
- How does the teaching of these characteristics change with a child's age?
- What are you up against when it comes to living out a good story with your kids?
- What do past regrets have on you and your progress?
- How can the group help you work through these?
- How can the group help you with goals pertaining to the story you would like to live?
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