Opening

• Identify words of encouragement with the children.
• Have the children move among themselves speaking the words identified.

Bible Story

• Truth is to be spoken in love. As we get to know each other and grow in authentic relationships, we realize that sometimes we have to speak to someone who has maybe wronged us or maybe done something wrong.
• How we give a correction to others will determine how authentic our relationship will get to be.
• In John 4 Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman. Everyone else prefered not to be associated with her and she knew that she had done some wrong things. Jesus was not harsh with her yet He helped her to see that the kind of life she was living was not the best.
• On the other hand, when Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, he was not as gentle as he was with the Samaritan woman instead He clearly brought out the truth like at the temple when He had to drive out and turn the tables for those present to understand the truth.
• As we spend time with each other we get to know each other better and when you know someone you learn how to communicate with them well. We will therefore be gentle even when speaking difficult truths.
• Speaking the truth in love means when we see a friend going the wrong way, we will help them see that what they are doing is not the best. We will not be silent but encourage them to do the right. For example, if our friend is littering and making the environment dirty, we will gently help them see that they ought to throw their rubbish in the dustbin and not just anywhere.
• For us to build authentic relationships there should not be any falsehood in our speech. When we interact we speak words that build and encourage and not lies or gossip. Our tone with each other will show that we care and love our friends.
• Ephesians reminds us that even when we get angry, some situations will make us angry, we should not sin. Instead, we can take a deep breath and calm down before we speak any word. Let us allow the Word of God to help us be like Jesus so that when we are upset we do not hurt each other with the words we speak. When we get angry we speak harshly to those we love saying words like :
  o To our friends, “You are not my friend.”,
  o To our parents, “You don’t even love me!”
  o To our siblings, “I will never share with you anything!”

Questions

1. In our lesson today what did we learn to do to have authentic relationships? speak the truth in love

2. Who in the Bible did Jesus speak the truth to in love? The Samaritan woman

3. Who did Jesus speak the truth to harshly? The Pharisees

4. What does the Bible teach us to do when we get angry? Not to sin instead we can get calm and then respond to those that have upset us.