TABLE TALK QUESTIONS:

April2012Calendar GODISJUST

IfyouhavedifficultytalkingwithyourkidsaboutGodsJusticeyouarentalone! Herearesomethoughtsthatmayhelpsetthestageforagreatmonthof discussionsaboutGodsJustice! It'seasyforourchildrentohaveawarpedviewofGod'sJustice.Theysee judgmentalChristiansandmistakeitforthejusticeofGod.Theysee"tolerance" worshippedoneverystreetcornerandconfuse"lovingtheirneighbor"with acceptingandembracingtheirneighbor'ssin. GodhasnotoleranceforjudgmentalChristians.Heknowsthedamagetheycan do.Godhasnotoleranceforsin;Heknowsthedamageitsalreadydone. Actually,ourculturedoesnthaveanytoleranceforsineitherthatisifit'sa sinwedon'tlike. JoshMcDowellproducedatshirtthatillustratesthiswell.Itsays: Intolerance is a Beautiful Thing... Mother Theresa was intolerant of Poverty Bono was intolerant of Aids Nelson Mandela was intolerant of Apartheid Martin Luther King was intolerant of Racism Jesus was intolerant of Bigotry Werehypocriticalaboutsin.Wejudgethosethatsininawaywefindoffensive,
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 butignorethosesinswehaveapersonalaffectionfor.OurJustGod,however,is nothypocriticalaboutsin.Hefindsitalloffensive,fromusingHisnameinvain tomurder,fromstealingapackofgumtostealingachildsinnocence.His justicerequiresapenaltybepaidforeachandeverysin.JesussatisfiedGods justicewhenHepaidthepenaltyonthecross.ItisthehumblingrealityofGood Fridayandtheinexpressiblejoy,andrelief,ofEasterSunday! UnderstandingGod'sJusticewillencourageyourchildrentostandupforwhatis right,empowerthemtofightfortheweakandabused,andgivethemamessage ofhopeforthehopeless. TeachingyourchildrenthatGodisJustwillpavethewayforahumble heart...onethattrulylovesthesinnerbuthatesthesin.

April 3, 2012
Whathappenedinthelastweekthatyouthinkisunfair? Whatdidyoudo? WhatdoyouthinkGodthinksaboutit?
Youcanprobablyguesswhatsomeoftheanswerswillbe!Wehearthingslike:thechores arentdividedfairly,theteacherdidntgivemeafairgrade,ormyfriendswerentfaironthe playground.Asksomefollowupquestionsthathelpdeterminewhetheritwastrulyunfairor simplyamatterofnotgettingwhattheywanted. Iftheirexampleisinregardtochoresetc.youmaywanttoexplainwhyyoudividethemthe wayyoudo.Thedivisionmaynotbewhattheywant,buttobefairyoumustconsiderallthe facts(i.e.differentagesandabilities,notjusttheirdesires). TheinterestingtwistcomeswhenyouaskthemwhatGodthinksaboutit.DoesHethinkits unfair?Why?Whynot?Weaskthisquestiontohelpkidsbegintothinkaboutthingsfrom Godsperspective.Iftheythinksomethingisunfair,theyllprobablythinkthatGodagreeswith theirassessment!Dontweallhavethattendency?!Thegoalisnottohaveatheological discussion,butsimplytogivethemtheexperienceofbringingGodintotheirdailyexperiences andfilteringtheirfeelingsaboutitthroughHisgridaswellastheirown.

April 09, 2012

Peoplecanbeaccidentallyunfair,butGodNEVERis. HowdoesHedoit? Hint:RefertoHisotherattributesallknowing,presenteverywhere, totallytruthful,etc.
Beginthediscussionbytalkingabouthowpeoplecanbeunfairwithoutrealizingit.For example:aJudgemaysentenceaninnocentpersontoprisonbecausehedoesnthaveallthe facts.AskthemiftheycanthinkofanyofGodsotherattributesthatassureusthatGodis alwaysJust.CheckoutFamilyAdventuresdevotionforJust,Day1,foragreatstory,Evidence ProvesInnocent,toendyourdiscussion!http://dg4kids.com/bibletime/dayonegodisjust/

April 17, 2012

GodcantignoreoursinandbeJust. HowdidHeshowloveandJustice?
Youmayneedtoprimethepumpabitonthisquestion: IfamanisprovenguiltyofmurderandtheJudgedecidestolethimgofree,withoutany punishment,istheJudgebeingagoodjudgeorabadjudge?Why? Justicerequiresthatthepenaltyforacrimebepaid.GodwouldnotbejustifHeignoredour sinandthepenaltythatmustbepaid. NoneofGodsattributesshouldbeviewedinisolation.WhenwelookatGodsJusticeapart fromHisLoveandMercy,weseeHimonlyasanenforcertobefeared. HowdoesGodshowusHisLoveandHisJustice?AskyourchildrenwhywecelebrateEaster (Jesusdeathandresurrection).HowdoesEastershowHisloveandJustice? ThefactthatJesuswasnailedtothecrosswasntfairbutitwasjust.Hehadntdoneanything wrong.HewaspunishedforoursinnotbecauseHedeservedit,butbecauseHelovesusand wantsarelationshipwithus.Theonlywaythatcouldhappenwasbypayingthepenaltyforour sinandforGodsJusticetobeserved.JesuspaidthepenaltybecauseofHisLoveandHis Justice.
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April 25, 2012

BecauseGodisJust,howarewetotreatothers? Whataboutmeanandunfairpeople?

Thefirstpartofthequestioniseasytodiscuss,butthesecondpartcanuncoversome challenges. Therescurrentlyalotofdiscussionaboutbullyingandweneedtohelpourkidsunderstandthe differencebetweenturningtheothercheek,defendingtheinnocent,andstandingupfor justice. Turningtheothercheekdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatwearetoletbullieshavetheirway ortoletmeanclassmatesgetawaywithhurtingtheirpeers.Itsimportanttotalkwithyour kidsabouthowtohandleabullyormeanclassmates(whethertheyreavictimoran observer). JesuswastheperfectbalanceofMercyandJustice.WhodidHeprayforwhenHewasonthe cross?Father,forgivethem,fortheydontknowwhattheyaredoing,Luke23:34(NLT). EncourageyourkidstofollowJesusexampleandprayforthosewhoaremeanorwhotreat themunjustly.Itdoesntmeanthattheoffendersgetoffthehook,butitwillkeepourkids heartsfreefromthepoisonofbitternessandvengeance.