Week 1

Action

Highlight Verse

Proverbs 20:11
Even a child is known by his actions, whether his conduct is pure and right.

Family Interaction Questions

Have you ever done or said something and then wondered why you did it?

Do you ever lash out and say something mean out of jealousy or frustration, and later realize it wasn’t a big deal and you were out of line?

What are some things that you do that seem to irritate other people?

Have you tried to work on those actions to become more likable?

Do you feel accountable for your actions or do you think others should accept you as is?

Everybody has flaws. There are quirks that we develop from our surroundings that stick with us. When we get around other people who were raised differently, those habits can stick out like a sore thumb. We develop our personalities over such an extended amount of time that we are often unaware of our habits and how they affect others.

It is important to be comfortable in your own skin. No one will ever truly accept us unless we can learn to embrace ourselves. Confidence is the strength of character that carries us through life. It should be a goal in every person’s life to identify their characteristics and the purpose behind them to understand who they are and why they do the things they do. When we understand ourselves we no longer need to defend our actions, and we can dismiss criticism when it comes our way.

We also should continuously look at ourselves and listen to repeated complaints about our actions and decide if we should change certain areas. There will always be groups of people that single you out and mock the things you do. Those aren’t necessarily things to change. That is bullying and simply meant to weaken you. Never change for the manipulation of haters. You will recognize the things that come up in conversations from safe people and situations, like family time or your teachers, that will guide you when you need to look at certain flaws and realize the only way to change them is to take action.

In-Depth (for matured families)

Read Romans 5-6

The Bible is full of stories of men and women who are full of character flaws and poor decisions. Somehow God sees past all of the mistakes and searches out the heart of each person. He knows you are human and flawed. What God is concerned about is what is happening deeper with you. Is the heart of a person striving to get away with as much trouble without getting caught or are they focused on staying on the right path and simply stumbling at times?

Think for a while on what it is you are known for and how that affects your image.
We often miss the fact that we are not called to perfection. Perfection was given to us as a gift. We wear the perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus simply by believing. We didn’t earn it! We are unworthy. Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice to justify our actions. It is our job to NOT take advantage of the grace He gave to us. How? It is only possible by keeping our hearts open to Christ’s perfecting work. It is refining ourselves and daily submitting to God that identifies us as His children. If you need to give up some practices that are keeping you from God, ask Him to help and empower you with His perfect love to take action.

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