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# 45th week of our Journey – GENTLENESS

This week’s destination: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - GENTLENESS

This week we’re going to learn about "Gentleness” Paul tells the Philippians’ “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” Philippians 4: 5a

• Super Fruit for this week is the Breadfruit

5. TEACHING
a. “Back Track” (5 minutes)
For the past few weeks, we have been studying the fruits of the Spirit. Can anyone name all the fruits of the Spirit, or tell me what verse we find them in? (Galatians 5:22-23)

Last week you learnt about "Faithfulness” God is faithful. He took the first step in your Salvation, He called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus. He is not going to abandon what He started. He will bring it across the finish line because God is faithful. Even if we are unfaithful or faithless, He remains faithful.

Optional: Play You are so Faithful Review video (Use Music video)

b. Sword Play (5minutes)
Ready…Swords up… Titus 3:2b… CHARGE!
“Always be gentle toward everyone.” (Titus 3:2b)

(Use the Bible Verse Card as visual aid. Place the footprints on the floor in order and get volunteer to come and follow the footprints saying the verse out loud, remove the first footprint and repeat. Then remove another footprint repeat. Until there are no footprints left and the children can recite the verse.)

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)
Gentleness as a Fruit of the Spirit is an outward action but it comes from a person’s inner attitude – being humble. Some might think that being gentle is a sign of weakness, but the truth is, it is “God’s power used in love.” When we are motivated by God’s love, then surely we can give a gentle answer in any situation and it brings the peace of God to whoever gets to hear it.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” –
Proverbs 15:1

Bible Story: (1 Samuel 25)

David and his friends were in the Desert. While they were there, they were kind to the shepherds who were with them in the fields. Those shepherds were servants of a rich but foolish man named Nabal, his wife was named Abigail.

When it was time to shear the sheep, David sent some of his men to Nabal to ask him for a gift which he would be kind enough to give, considering that David and his men helped protect his sheep in the fields. Instead of giving a gift, Nabal insulted David, and this made David so mad that he planned to kill Nabal in revenge. When Abigail heard about this, she acted quickly and wisely. She gathered food and other supplies and went to David to make peace for Nabal.

With kind and gentle words coming from a humble heart, Abigail helped David to see it would be wrong for him to kill Nabal. She asked for forgiveness in behalf of her husband and through her careful gentle words, David’s heart was changed. Read 1 Samuel 25: 32-34

When a meek or humble person decides to speak to an angry or highly emotional person, his initial goal would not be to prove who is right or wrong, but simply to show respect and kindness, even if the other person is using very hurtful words.

This kind of gentleness is something that comes from the Holy Spirit, and to attempt to do it using only our own human abilities would be futile. It takes time and prayer and allowing the Spirit to mould us in order to bear His fruits.

Even in correcting others, the Bible tells us to do it gently – because God calls us to be humble and recognize that none of us are perfect.

Therefore, we leave it up to God to judge the world; our role is to encourage one another and to be gentle and kind and most of all, to pray that God will touch people’s hearts and bring them to repentance and belief in Jesus Christ so that they might be saved.

Object Lesson:
Gently pick up dolly and start to rock her in our arms. Do any of you have a baby brother or sister? (Allow time for them to respond.) How do we handle babies? (Allow time for response. Continue to rock dolly) Babies are fragile. We have to be careful with them. We are never rough with babies because it will hurt them. We treat them with gentleness. God desires for us to be gentle in our actions, our words, and our attitudes!

Jesus models gentleness to us by calling all of those who are tired and suffering to find rest in Himself. He gently leads us, like a Shepherd with His sheep.
(Show Shepherd coloring Bible Verse)

SUPER FRUIT: LAM VERITAB (Breadfruit) TEACHING
Photocopy the ‘Lam Veritab Handout’ one for each family. Teaching about the nutritional and medicinal qualities of the fruit. A sapling, God willing will be supplied to each school, church or orphanage utilizing this curriculum.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD: Refer to our Encountering God Handbook for ideas for this important section of the session. Experience the Holy Spirit Learning Centers creating a Spiritual atmosphere. Have a time of silence.

Ask the following questions:

Is gentleness a part of who you are right now?

Do your words show gentleness or are they harsh?

Do you show gentleness with your actions?

Are you a protector, a listener, a comforter to your friends and your family?

Let’s ask God together to grow the fruit of gentleness in our hearts this week. During your prayer, thank God for His gentle way with us, for His son, for it is only through Him that we can be changed and produce the Fruit of the Spirit.

Remember the specific situations your children are going through. Invite them to share afterwards their needs. Praise God for the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, the gentleness we are able to have because He lives within us and for His great gentleness to us.

CLOSING PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven help us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have. But help us always to do this with gentleness and respect. In Jesus name. Amen

TAKE HOME PAGE:
Give one copy of the ‘Take Home Truth’ to each child at the end of the class.
Optional: Give the children the Take Home Quiz activity booklet.

NEXT WEEK: We will learn in detail more of the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ next week we’re going to learn about "SELF CONTROL”. The Super Fruit for next week is a Soursop, try and bring some for the next session.

CLICK to view Session #46.