Game Changers: Devotions for Families Who Play Different (Age 8-12)ნიმუში

Attitude in the Way

Ready: The Book of Jonah (chapters 1–4)

Set:

The giant fish usually gets most of the attention when we hear the biblical story of Jonah. But the fish is not the point of the story. It’s an interesting part for sure. (Who wouldn’t spend some time thinking about what Jonah must have looked and smelled like when he got spat up on the shore?). But the fish is not the main character in the story. The story is about God and Jonah.

As a prophet, Jonah’s job was to run the plays that God called. When God sent him to a certain place, he was to share with those people the message God gave him to share with them. That’s it. God called the play, and Jonah was to execute the play. But when God designed and called a play Jonah didn’t like, he rebelled and ran the other direction.

God called Jonah to reach out to the enemy of his people. Jonah knew if they called out to God, He would save them from coming destruction. And Jonah couldn’t get past his intense dislike for those people, so he ran away instead of running the play as God called it.

Jonah reconsidered after a huge storm had him thrown overboard, and he spent three days in the belly of a fish. He ultimately did what God wanted, but he did it with a bad attitude. When the people heard the message, they did indeed cry out to God, and God saved them from the coming destruction. The play worked as drawn up. But Jonah didn’t celebrate. He pouted and whined. It is so sad that Jonah missed out on the awesome joy that came from God’s mercy! Instead of celebrating that these people, who used to be his enemies, now could be his friends, he went off by himself grumbling. How much joy could Jonah have experienced had his own attitude not gotten in his way!

Go:

1. Describe times when your attitude toward coaches or others has had a negative effect on your performance and/or on your team. What do you think causes a bad attitude?
2. Why is a Godly attitude that wants the best for others a positive thing for you and other people?
3. What insights can you get about your relationship with God and your relationships with others from Jonah’s story?
4. What are some ways you can battle a bad attitude?

Workout:

Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 4:8; Philippians 2:14-15

Overtime:

“Lord, sometimes I do not have a good attitude. I do not always want to do the things that are asked of me. Please fix my attitude and help me to honor You by doing what I am supposed to do. Thank You for having mercy and love for me. In Your name, amen.”