OBJECTIVE:
This lesson will teach the kids about having a good spirit (attitude) behind our words and actions, with the Fruit of the Spirit as our standard.
Scripture Passage:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23 (Memory verse)
"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." - Proverbs 16:32
"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." - Proverbs 16:32
In the Word
This year, We've learned what it means to be an example to others in word, in conduct, and in love and have seen how to please God with what we say and do. But did you know that God doesn't just care about your words and actions, but also about your attitude? That's why the next way that 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us to please God is, "in spirit."
When the Bible talks about our spirit, it refers to the attitude of our heart. Sometimes, we can do the right thing, but with the wrong spirit. For example, imagine your parents ask you to clean your room, and you do it, but you grumble and complain about it the whole time. Do you think that pleases the Lord? Or maybe there is a kid that you don't like, and you may not be unkind to him with your words and actions, but you think mean thoughts about him in your heart. Is that right? While God does want us to truly please God, our heart, or spirit, must have the right attitude.
So what does a godly spirit look like? For that, we need to look at God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the Holy Spirit is full of love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. These traits are called the Fruit of the Spirit because, just as fruit naturally comes out of a healthy tree, the qualities will naturally be seen in the attitude of a person who has the Holy Spirit inside of them. If we want to have a spirit that pleases the Lord, our attitude needs to be full of the Fruit of the Spirit that we read about here.
Knowing what kind of spirit the Lord wants us to have is one thing, but actually having that attitude can be quite difficult. It's hard to feel love for others when someone is mean to you, or be joyful when your parents tell you to your chores, or be kind when you brother or sister annoys you. In sports, it's not easy to keep a good attitude when you're losing. In fact, Proverbs 16:32 says that it takes more strength to control your spirit than for a mighty warrior to capture a city. That's a lot of strength, and doing that on your own is impossible. But the good news is that, if you're a Christian, you already have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, helping you to produce the Fruit of the Spirit. And Jesus said that if we want more of the Spirit, all we have to do is pray and ask (Luke 11:13), and He will give His Spirit. So let's all ask the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we can have attitudes that please Him.
When the Bible talks about our spirit, it refers to the attitude of our heart. Sometimes, we can do the right thing, but with the wrong spirit. For example, imagine your parents ask you to clean your room, and you do it, but you grumble and complain about it the whole time. Do you think that pleases the Lord? Or maybe there is a kid that you don't like, and you may not be unkind to him with your words and actions, but you think mean thoughts about him in your heart. Is that right? While God does want us to truly please God, our heart, or spirit, must have the right attitude.
So what does a godly spirit look like? For that, we need to look at God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the Holy Spirit is full of love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. These traits are called the Fruit of the Spirit because, just as fruit naturally comes out of a healthy tree, the qualities will naturally be seen in the attitude of a person who has the Holy Spirit inside of them. If we want to have a spirit that pleases the Lord, our attitude needs to be full of the Fruit of the Spirit that we read about here.
Knowing what kind of spirit the Lord wants us to have is one thing, but actually having that attitude can be quite difficult. It's hard to feel love for others when someone is mean to you, or be joyful when your parents tell you to your chores, or be kind when you brother or sister annoys you. In sports, it's not easy to keep a good attitude when you're losing. In fact, Proverbs 16:32 says that it takes more strength to control your spirit than for a mighty warrior to capture a city. That's a lot of strength, and doing that on your own is impossible. But the good news is that, if you're a Christian, you already have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, helping you to produce the Fruit of the Spirit. And Jesus said that if we want more of the Spirit, all we have to do is pray and ask (Luke 11:13), and He will give His Spirit. So let's all ask the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we can have attitudes that please Him.
On the Court
- It can be easy to get prideful in sports when you do well. Stay humble and don't boast in your accomplishments.
- You might not always like what your coach tells you to do, but obey instructions with joy, not with arguing or complaining.
- It's difficult to keep your attitude and anger under control when you are losing, get fouled, or the ref misses a call. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to have peace in those situations.
Off the Court
- Have a good attitude when your parents or teachers ask you to do something, and don't grumble or complain about it.
- Is there someone you struggle to get along with? Pray for the Lord to change your heart and fill you with love and kindness toward that person.
- Have a humble attitude that things of others, rather than a prideful attitude that always things about yourself.
The Game Plan
- Review last week's memory verse, 1 John 3:16, "By this we know love, because He laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Give a ticket to any player who can recite it.
- Learn and memorize Galatians 5:22-23 with your team. Encourage them to practice the verse over the week.
- Put an emphasis on the attitude that you and your players display today, on and off the court.