RELATIONAL VIRTUE GROUP

Because I value others as those whom Christ created and redeemed, I choose to treat them as I would like to be treated.

 

How To Treat People

Acceptance

People have many differences. Their language, culture, intelligence, financial status, and dress may not be the same as mine. Jesus patiently receives and includes everyone who comes to Him.

I choose to accept the good in everyone and include them in my friendship.

 

Definition

Acceptance related virtues: Composure, tact, patiences, receptivity, tolerance, understand, willing to wait, racial equality, religious equality.

Acceptance means: Tolerance and patience. Letting people do things differently because of culture, age or handicap. Using self-control when it is not a necessity to change the thing you personally dislike. Waiting for the right time without being upset or angry. Waiting for the slow without making them feel uncomfortable. Gladly putting off to the future what you may prefer today when you know it is best. Composure in the face of chaos. Calmly waiting in line.

 
Artwork Music

See flipchart

Click the picture below:

 

 

Family of God

Student Life Applications


1 Students with badminton rackets going off to play but being kind to little brother pulling on shirt tail
wanting to go also
2 Student who does not get angry at the young one who is showing off
3 Student patiently putting up with more noise than he personally likes
4 Older students allowing a little student to play the game with them
5 Students helping “foreign” students with a dictionary to find the words to communicate
6 Smiling, happy student waiting for the bus with others who keep looking at their watches and grumbling
7 Big sister is kind to little brother who scribbled on her picture
8 Big brother is understanding to little brother who has torn his assignment paper
9 Child plays quietly and waits while mother is talking on the phone
10 Students watch seedling and think about the growth of the pineapple
11 Students wait patiently to take turns while standing in queque
 

Bible, E.G. White

Matthew 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: Revelation 14:12
Galations 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
Hebrews 10:36 Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
2 Peter 1:5, 6 Add to. . . temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

“Says the apostle: "Add to .....temperance patience," etc. Here is a work which rests upon every one who professes to follow Christ;” 2T 360
Cultivate a disposition to . . . cherish patience,” 4T 133
Patience, faith, and love for duty are the lessons we must learn. The crown of life is placed only upon the brow of the overcomer.” 5T 71
The work of the parent is solemn and sacred;. . . in which justice and mercy are blended with patience and self-control,.”
5T 305
“Do not reproach the Christian religion by jealousy and in tolerance toward others. This will but poorly recommend your belief to them.” 4T 65
“Every association of life calls for the exercise of self-control, forbearance, and sympathy.” MH 483
“Cherish patience, forbearance, and brotherly love. Be ready to help the erring, and have pity and tender sympathy toward those who are weak.” 4T 133
"We should love and respect one another, notwithstanding the faults and imperfections that we cannot help seeing. . . [cultivate] a patient tenderness with the faults of others.

 

Reinforcing Stories

"Patience Under Provocation" from God's 800 number P-R-A-Y-E-R" by M. Vasquez, p.138
Gold diggers who gave up just before gold was discovered
Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories III, pp. 69, 134 by Arthur S. Maxwell
"Hammer time!", Book One, Great Stories for Kids, p 42, 135
"He Had a Dream", Book Two, Great Stories for Kids by Jerry D. Thomas
"Attack of the Mutant Mega-Wasps", "The Purple Cow Stampede", "The Snake Trail", Book Three, Great Stories for Kids, pp. 120, 129, 137 by Jerry Thomas
"Gramma Rose's Benster", Book Four, Great Stories for Kids, p 143, Jerry Thomas
"Breathe In, Breathe Out", Book Five, Great Stories for Kids pp 13, 20, by Jerry Thomas
Christian Values Every Kid Should Know, Chapter 17, by Donna Habenicht
The Children's Hour II, p. 41; III, p. 117 by Arthur S. Maxwell
"What We Select is Ours", Treasury of Devotional Aids for Home and School

 

Student Activities

Planning ahead so you don't have the pressure of others in the family making you late.
Knowing God will do what is best when we want our prayers answered now.
Go to an old folks home and help them with lunch or a walk.
Take 2 hours and dedicate it to your younger brother or sister who is always trying to get your attention and let them decide how to spend the time.
Tell what you learned from the experiences above.
We are stewards of our time. How can we profitably use our time when we are waiting for a taxi, lunch, checkout que, traveling in the car, etc.
 

Links to the Curriculum
Biology: Different kinds of nature live peacefully together, all peoples should live peafully together.
English: Subject/verbs must agree to make sentences, people must agree to make friends.
Science/health: immune system
Nutrition: eating between meals vs. waiting.
 

Resources


Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories, by Arthur S. Maxwell, R&H, 1964
Great Stories for Kids, by Jerry Thomas, PPPA, 1999
Christian Values Every Kid Should Know, by Donna Habenicht, R&H
The Children's Hour, by Arthur S. Maxwell, R&H, 1945
Treasury of Devotional Aids for Home and School by Department of Education of General Conference of SDA, 1951

Statement on Tolerance
Seventh-day Adventists support the United Nations proclamation of 1995 as the Year of Tolerance. This proclamation comes at an opportune time when intolerance is abounding on all continents—bigoted religious extremism, racism, tribalism, ethnic cleansing, linguistic enmity, and other forms of terrorism and violence. Christians carry their share of the blame for prejudice and inhumanity toward humans.
Tolerance, the capacity to endure unfavorable circumstances, is only a beginning. Christians and all people of good will, must go well beyond this negative concept and develop sympathy for beliefs or practices that not only differ, but even conflict with their own. Dialogue is certainly much better than diatribe. Human beings must learn to agree or disagree without violence; they must be able to discuss varying viewpoints without hate or rancor. This does not mean docility or abject submission, but partnership and respect for the equal rights of others. Every person has the right and the responsibility to express both ideas and ideals with verve and vigor, but without reaching the boiling point of violent words or actions.
Finally, tolerance at its best means not only acceptance of other views and people, but moving in benevolence, responsiveness, and understanding toward others—every other human being.

This statement was approved and voted by the General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) and was
released by the Office of the President, Robert S. Folkenberg, at the
General Conference session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, June 29-July 8,
1995.

 

Evaluation

Primary:
Tell or write two ways that show that God is accepting.
Tell or write about a time when you saw someone show acceptance.
Tell or write about when you showed acceptance like God would do.
Tell or write about when you saw the hurt and unhappiness when someone was not accepting:
How do you think God feels when He sees people who are accepting?
How do you feel when you are accepting?
Tell two ways that you can show acceptance.
What makes you want to be accepting?
What is the opposite of acceptance? Who makes us act that way?
Finish the sentence: We can be accepting when we..........

Middle:
Why does God care if I am accepting?
What difference does it make whether I am accepting or not?
What effect would it have on my future if I did not choose to be accepting?
How would people treat me differently if I did or didn’t choose to be accepting?
How would I feel about myself if I did or did not choose to be accepting?
Give some reasons why you think it is best to be accepting. Why would someone do differently?
What makes choosing to be accepting better than the opposite?
List some ways that a person might be accepting without anyone noticing?
List 3 situations where a person could be accepting in his work, home, or at the shopping mall.
Is it possible for a person to get better at being accepting? Explain.
Can you think of someone who seems good at being accepting? What makes them better at it?
How could you learn to be better at being accepting of others?
How often do you show acceptance? Think of the last three times and tell me.
Do you like to join in when people are being accepting? How have you joined in?

High school:
Would you practice acceptance if no one was checking on you? Your parents, school, or the law?
What is the alternative to acceptnce and what do you see as the results of that choice?
Would you recognize it if someone was not fully accepting? How?
Would you keep quiet if someone paid you a lot of money not to be accepting?
Are you proud to be accepting and willing to tell others how you feel?
If someone in a group spoke out against acceptance would you speak up to give the other side?
Are you willing to put some money toward supporting acceptance in your city, class, work?
Can you say that being accepting has become a habit? How often are you that way?
What effect do you think acceptance will have on your future life?
Do you see your family practicing acceptance toward others? How about your church, city, or nation?
What do you think should be done to promote acceptance in your family, friends, church, city, nation?
Does it make much difference if they are accepting or not?