7/31/2019 DG4Kids Table Talk Questions (July '12)

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July2012CalendarGODISMERCIFUL

Haveyouevershownmercytosomeone?Whoandwhy?

BegintheconversationbyreadingthesimpledefinitionofMercyonthecalendar.Mercy=notgivingsomeonewhattheydeserve.

Bepreparedtogiveanexamplefromyourownlifetohelpyourchildrenunderstandwhatitlooksliketoshowmercytosomeone. Iftheystillhavetroublethinkingofatimetheyextendedmercy,youcanprimethepumpwiththefollowingsuggestionsforthemtoshowmercyinthefuture:

Choosetohelpsomeonebycleaningupamesstheymadeeventhoughtheydeservetohavetopickitupthemselves.

Someonebreakssomethingofyours. Youcouldaskthemtoreplaceitbutchoosetoforgiveandtoreplaceityourself.

Bekindtoapersonwhoismeantoyou. Theydontdeserveyourkindnessbutyougiveitanyway.

7/31/2019 DG4Kids Table Talk Questions (July '12)

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DoyouthinkparentsneedGodsmercy? Why?Dokids? Why?

ThegoalofthesequestionsistounderscorethefactthatALLofusneedGodsmercy.Determineaheadoftimenottogetdefensivewhenyourkidsanswerthequestionaboutparents. Whattheysharemayraisesomeissuesyoumightneedtoaddresslater. Youcansay,Letstalkmoreaboutthatsometime,butfornow ForthesakeofthisdiscussiontrytokeepfocusedonthefactthatweareallsinfulandweallneedGodsmercy.

WhatcanwedotoshowGodsMercyasafamilyandasindividuals?Havesomeofyourownideasreadytohelpprimethepump. TheideaistohelpyourkidsseethatGodsMercycaninfluenceourbehaviorandmotivateustoextendmercytothosearoundus. Itseasytotalkaboutmercybutmuchhardertoputintopractice.Thequestioncouldrevealsomeproblemrelationshipsyourkidsmightbeexperiencing. Theymaynottellyouaboutaclassmatewhoismeaninthecourseofnormalconversation,butinthecontextofextendingmercytheymay. Again,bereadytobeagoodlistener,prayforwisdomtoknowhowtorespond,andrememberthatyoudonthavetosolvealltheproblemsaroundthedinnertable.

BecauseGodisMerciful,shouldweeverbedisciplinedforourbadchoices?Weliveinaculturethathassotwistedwhatitmeanstobemercifulthattheanswertothisquestioncantbetakenforgranted. Wemusthelpourchildrenunderstandthatchoicesdohaveconsequencesnowandineternity.GodsMercydoesnotignoreHisJustice. Apenaltyhadtobepaidforoursin. BecauseofGodsLoveandMercy,Jesuspaidthepenaltyforusbydyingonthecrossforoursin.