Ethics in Daily Life

OBJECTIVE

Our thoughts, words, and deeds are all reflections of Christ. As His children, we are called to choose what is right and to do what is right in the face of wrong, always.

  • Create an atmosphere where the tension of right and wrong is felt
  • Expose how ethical dilemmas exist in daily life
  • Help students determine how to make the right choices with guidance from the Holy Spirit

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (2 minutes)

Last week, we discussed some Biblical stories as ethical dilemmas and asked you to come up with an answer for each. Then we looked at the actual Scriptures and tried to figure out what the right thing to do was.

This week, we're going to do something similar. But instead of Bible stories, we're going to review some real-life situations that you face (or may face) each day and try to make the right moral decision.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 2 Minutes

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:11 "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 5 Minutes

We know by now that life is full of ethical, or moral, dilemmas. However, we are called to be perfect, like our Lord, and we were made in His image and likeness.

  • Sin goes against our design and against God's will for our lives.

Since we are not of this secular world, our moral values are constantly being under attack

  • Today's society promotes selfishness and vanity, and doing what's best to get ahead no matter the cost--no matter if it takes committing sin to get what you want.
  • Today's society values anti-Christian thoughts, lifestyles, clothing, appearance... the list goes on and on.

Just because the world lives in a gray area, does not mean that we, as Coptic Orthodox Christians, do the same.

  • Being silent, "going with the flow," ignoring the wrong around us is not behaving as our Lord would want us to behave.
  • God never wants us to choose a "lesser" sin. As we learned 2 weeks ago, there is right things that bring us closer to God and wrong things that bring us further from God. Period. There is no "in between."

DISCUSSION - 25 Minutes

Scenario 1

You and a friend are planning to go out and see a movie on a Friday night. As you're getting ready to leave, another friend calls and asks what you're doing that night. You know that the friend you're talking to on the phone can sometimes be jealous when you go out with other people. The friend calling is not friends with the person you're going with, so inviting the person on the phone to tag along is not an option. You can either tell the friend on the phone the truth or you can make something up that will get you off the phone and off the hook for the night. What should you do: Tell the truth and hurt your friend's feelings, or tell a lie and have a fun night?

Discussion Questions:

  • Is it wrong to lie to someone if it means not hurting that person's feelings?
  • Is "the truth hurts" a true statement? Why/why not?

See: Leviticus 19:11; Colossians 3:9; Proverbs 6:16-19

Scenario 2

You go to your favorite clothing store and notice that the employee operating the cash register is new and struggling with the job. You pick out that shirt you had your eye on and see that it is on sale for $10 You only have a $20 bill, and give it to the employee to pay. Expecting $10 back, you are completely surprised when the cashier mistakenly gives you a $100 bill instead. You rush home and think of all the ways you can use the $100. What should you do

Discussion Questions:

  • Is the above situation an example of stealing?
  • If you were accidentally given the premium package by the cable company that you never paid for, is it wrong to never call your cable company to let them know? What's the difference with the above story?
  • What about telling the server at your favorite restaurant that it's your friend's birthday when it really is NOT your friend's birthday, so that you can all enjoy free dessert?

See: Exodus 20:15; Luke 18:20; Ephesians 4:28

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

Our moral character is based on the moral character of God.

  • So, we ought to ask ourselves when posed with a situation, "What Would Jesus Do?"

God is love, so He commands us to love (1 John 4:19. He is holy, and He commands us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15. He is merciful, and He commands us to be merciful (Luke 6:36. He is truthful, and He commands us not to bear false witness (Titus 1:2; Exodus 20:16.

How do we handle these moral dilemmas?

  • Living a life of active prayer
    • By actively praying with thoughts, words, and deeds, we recenter ourselves and are constantly reminded of the only One that matters: God.
  • Studying God's Word, actively reading the Bible
  • Basing our decisions and actions on the Gospel
  • Seeking the advice of our Spiritual Adviser and Father of Confession
  • Being involved in the Divine Liturgy. Not just attending, or attending late, but being engaged, praying the prayers, and participating in the Holy Eucharist.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Cut out each scenario in the document attached into a strip of paper (one scenario per strip). Fold them up and have each student take turns picking out a folded paper. Have each one read a scenario out loud and discuss. After each scenario, read the corresponding verse to see if students' answers are consistent with what the Bible advises.

HOMEWORK

Memorize this week's memory verse.

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

Grade 7 Week 3 Activity (Morality).pdf