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

Communication

God speaks to me in many ways. He is careful with my feelings and needs. He listens attentively to me.

 

I choose to communicate carefully with others.

 

Definition

Communication related virtues: contacts, converses, expression, exchange of ideas, thoughts, feelings.

Communication means: to make contact, to give a message, to touch, and to exchange ideas, thoughts and feelings.

 
Artwork Music

See flipchart

 

 

 

 

Go Tell It on the Mountain
Fill My Cup Lord, AYS, 32
He Lives, AYS, 53
He Keeps me Singing, AYS, 56
In the Garden

Student Life Applications
Because God has placed me in a family, in a church, in a community, in a school which means I have people who I must respect and associate with, which requires that I communicate with them, I will:
Let my parents know when I will be late or going somewhere.
Tell others what my ideas are, because everyone has valuable things to share.
Speak up when I am part of a group or committee working on a project.
Stay in touch with friends through the phone, email, and time talking together without neglecting other responsibilities.
Know when God wants me to keep silent and when I should speak up.
Know what things to talk about and what things are better unsaid.
Learn to speak in front of others in such places as school, Sabbath School class, AYA, Pathfinders, etc.
 

Bible, E.G. White

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Matthew 5:37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building
others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not

“'Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: This refers to common conversation. Some exaggerate in their
language.” 1T 201
“Your words are not always chaste, pure, and elevated. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth."” 2T 302
“The communication of life, strength, and fruitfulness from the trunk to the branches is unobstructed and constant.”
5T 229
“The communication between God and the soul must be kept open, that the workers may recognize the voice of
their Captain. HS.282. 4 (1886)
“The ability to speak plainly and clearly, in full, round tones, is invaluable in any line of work.” 6T 380

Reinforcing Stories

Growing Kids God's Way, Chapter 4, by Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo, Micah 6:8, 1993
"The Angel of the Books", Volume Three, Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories by Arthur Maxwell
"Something to Talk About", Book Five, The Children's Hour by Arthur Maxwell
"Pajama Roller Skating", Book Five, Great Stories for Kids by Jerry Thomas
"The Man with the Biting Tongue", "Leaning to Swim", "Gossipitis", "The Body's Communication System", "Who Got the Parrot?", "Wood Swearing", Treasury of Devotional Aids for Home and School

 

Student Activities

1. Never Tell a Lie: In this game, kids will tell one thing that they have really done and one thing that they've never really done. After each tells the two things, have the others vote on which is true and which is false. Afterwards discuss how difficult it is to tell when people are being truthful. Read Numbers 23:19 and say: The good thing about God is that we never have to guess if He is being truthful or not.
2. Creation Scramble: Before class, write the names or tape pictures of things in God's creation on 3X5 cards. (e.g. river, zebra, etc.) Attach to the student's back the card and each student's job is to guess what is on his back by asking questions that can be answered only by "yes" or "no."
3. Royalty Says: Sit in a circle. Play music and have the kids pass the scepter around the circle until the music stops. Whoever is holding the scepter when the music stops becomes king or queen for that round. As in Simon says, the king and queen gives a command...such as "stand on one foot" or "cluck like a chicken", etc...the rest of the group must follow. Continue the game until everyone has had a chance to be king or queen. Discuss the power of words.
 

Links to the Curriculum
Biology: Many animals live in the jungle and communicate. Jesus wanted Jews to communicate gospel to Gentiles.
English: Letter writing is custom for St. Paul and for us.
Social Studies: In the study of the dispersion of man, remember the Tower of Babel.
 

Resources


Growing Kids God's Way, by Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo, Micah 6:8, 1993
Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories by Arthur S. Maxwell, R&H, 1964
The Children's Hour by Arthur S. Maxwell, R&H, 1945
Great Stories for Kids by Jerry D. Thomas, PPPA, 1999
Treaury of Devotional Aids for Home and School, Department of Education of General Conference of SDA. 1951

Evaluation

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

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

High school:
What is the alternative to communication and what do you see as the results of that choice?
Would you recognize it if someone was not fully communicative? How?
Would you keep quiet if someone paid you a lot of money not to be communicative?
Are you proud to be communicative and willing to tell others how you feel?
If someone in a group spoke out against communication would you speak up to give the other side?
Can you say that being communicative has become a habit? How often are you that way?
What effect do you think comunnication will have on your future life?
Do you see your family practicing communication with others? How about your church, city, or nation?
What do you think should be done to promote communication in your family, friends, church, city, nation?
Does it make much difference if they are communicative or not?