“Whatsoever things are HONEST…”
This is week number two in the Phil 4:8 series “oh be careful little mind what you think” and boy am I excited to share with you kids about honesty. Do you remember last week when we talked about the Truth of God’s word? …about how Noah believed it with all his heart? What happened when Noah thought on the True things of God and trusted in them? Yep, that’s right; God saved Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the earth.
Well this week we are going to talk about another man named Samuel. He was a prophet of the Lord who always spoke the truth, even when it wasn’t popular and even when someone he loved might not like it. He followed God …and HIS word says “thou shalt not bear false witness”; it is one of the Lord’s commandments to us as His children.
The story about Samuel I want to share with you today is from 1 Samuel chapter 3. Remember Hannah, Samuel’s mom?… she had prayed hard for a son and the Lord blessed her with Samuel; she too was an honest woman because the promise to the Lord she made to dedicate her son’s life to Him was kept. Samuel had lived with the priest Eli from the time he was two years old until now. He had grown up serving the Lord and this night was no different.
Although Samuel had never heard directly from God, he knew he was real and he honored Him. But on this particular night, the Lord has something He wanted to say to Samuel yet when God called to him, Samuel thought it was the priest Eli calling for him. When Samuel heard the Lord's voice he would run to Eli and say, “here I am for thou callest me” but Elli hadn’t called Home. Nite. him so he told him to go lie back down. But, kiddos, after Samuel came to him the second time, Eli knew something was up. He believed it was the Lord God speaking to Samuel so he told Samuel to go lie back down and if he heard the voice for the third time to say, “Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth.” And Samuel did just that. In verse 10 it says that the Lord came and stood, and called as at other times “Samuel, Samuel” then Samuel answered, “Speak for thy servant heareth.” And guess what guys?? God DID have something to tell him but it wasn’t easy for him to share with his friend Eli. Eli was like a father to Samuel.
The Lord had told Samuel He wasn’t pleased with the way Eli’s sons had behaved AND with Eli; Eli knew their sin yet never corrected them. He tried to just let them be even though God had warned him about not straightening things out and making his sons does right. So, the Lord had told Samuel that no longer would he let their sins go unpunished. He was going to bring an end to their sins and wickedness. Now can you imagine how Samuel felt when Eli asked him to be honest when he told him what the Lord had said?? I am sure it wasn’t easy for Samuel to tell his friend that the Lord was displeased, that he was going to be punishing them; God was bringing judgment to Eli’s household. That wouldn’t be easy for ME to tell a friend, how about you? But, you know what guys? Samuel DID…Eli was a good friend in encouraging him to tell the truth too. We all need godly friends like that. Samuel went on to serve the Lord and be a great prophet of God who was honest and the people around him knew it and they believed in God’s power because of it.
You see, when we are people who are honest and trust the Lord to do what he says, we bring HIM glory and honor. That’s why the bible says, “Whatsoever things are honest…. Think on these things!”
Activity/craft
Honest Harriet the Honey Bee
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