Elf on the Shelf Jesus Style Biblical Virtues: Honesty

Have you ever caught your kiddo in a lie?  Oh, we have.  Every kid goes through it! Children must be taught to be truthful!

Discussion

Ask your child what honesty means.

Honesty means telling the truth, no matter what, even if there is a consequence.  An honest person always tells the truth, does what he/she says they are going to do, and never lies, cheats or steals.

Explain to your child that when you lie, it always comes back to hurt you.  It makes you live in fear as you wait to find out when the lie will be exposed.

Read Acts 5: 1-4 with your child.  Talk about what Ananias did and how God knows when we lie.

Discuss with your child what “living free” looks and feels like after reading the scriptures.  When you are honest, you live free because you do not have to live in fear.

Scripture

The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful.  Proverbs 12:22

I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on  Your laws . . . I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.  Psalm 119:30, 32

Activity: Make a Belt of Truth

Today, we are going to make a piece of the armor of God to help us remember that God can help us stay strong, and because He lives in us, we can tell the truth!

Read the following scripture with your child:

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powersof this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

For this activity, you will need a:

• A belt
• Aluminum foil
• Cardstock

Help your child wrap their belt in aluminum foil.  Make a cross out of cardstock and glue or tape it to the aluminum foil on the belt.  Explain to your child how we can wear the belt of truth and always tell the truth!  God loves it when we are honest!