Almost everyone has come to recognise the international symbol for “NO!” It is a red circle with a red diagonal bar crossing out a picture of whatever is prohibited. Encourage children to take responsibility for words and actions by prohibiting excuses in your home.

Write the word “EXCUSES” on a piece of construction paper. Draw a bold red circle around it and put a red clash across the word. Cut out the circle and hang the international symbol in a conspicuous place to remind children that “EXCUSES” aren’t accepted.

–Character First! Education Series 2

‘Twas a sheep not a lamb that strayed away in the parable Jesus told.

A grown-up sheep that had gone astray from the ninety and nine in the fold.

Out on the hillside, out in the cold, it was a sheep the good shepherd sought;

And back to the fold, safe to the fold, it was a sheep the good shepherd brought.

And why for the sheep should we earnestly long and as earnestly hope and pray?

Because there is danger if they go wrong that they will lead the lambs astray.

For the lambs will follow the sheep, you know, wherever the sheep may stray.

When the sheep go wrong it will not be long till the lambs are as wrong as they.

And so with the sheep we earnestly plead for the sake of the lambs, today;

If the lambs are lost what a terrible cost some sheep will have to pay.

-Author Unknown

When the archaeologists were digging in the ruins of Nineveh they came upon a library of plaques containing the laws of the realm. One of the laws read in effect, that anyone guilty of neglect would be held responsible for the result of his neglect… If you fail to teach your child to obey, if you fail to teach him to respect the property rights of others, you and not he are responsible for the result of your neglect.

-Encyclopaedia of 7,700 Illustrations

A preacher had on his desk a special book labelled “Complaints of Members Against One Another.” When one of his people called to tell him the faults of another, he would say, “Well, here’s my complaint book. I’ll write down what you say, and you can sign it. Then when I have to take up the matter officially, I shall know what I may expect you to testify to.” The sight of the open book and the ready pen had its effect. “Oh, no, I couldn’t sign anything like that!” and no entry was made. The preacher said he kept the book for fourty years, opened it probably a thousand times, and never wrote a line in it.

-Encyclopaedia of 7,700 Illustrations

• Parents diligently working to provide for the family
• Accepting the challenge of making the household run as smoothly and efficiently as possible
• A parent giving a child encouragement and advice
• Children obeying and honouring their parents in actions, words, and body language
• Developing skills to the best of one’s ability

-Achieving True Success by Building a Character Family, IACC, Oklahoma City

Will our life’s work stand the test of the fire when we come before the Lord? Will it have lasting eternal value – or will it end up in ashes? There’s an interesting difference between wood, hay, straw – and gold, silver, and costly stones.

Wood, hay, and stubble are found above the ground. They catch the eye, just like many people’s ministries do. They are quite plentiful and easy to find.

On the other hand, silver, gold, and precious stones are found below the ground. Nobody sees them – again, like many people’s ministries. They’re not just lying around in a field somewhere for anyone to pick up. They are much harder to come by; in fact, it takes a lot of hard work to get them. That’s why they are so expensive. They are of much higher quality than many other things, and much more rare too. Again, it’s the ‘quality,’ not the quantity that sets their value.

Many things are difficult in the Christian life, but we should desire to acquire those things which will hold their value, not only on earth, but in heaven as well.

– Leonard Ravenhill

I want to tell you a story about when I was a young boy going to school. You know, I didn’t mind school too much, but in those days I was very envious of the school Captain. His name was Renton, and he sat just across the aisle from me.

He was the best soccer player in the school and that’s what I wanted to be. He was the best at cricket, and I liked cricket. He was the best runner we had, and I liked running. He was not only an excellent athlete, but a very good artist as well. And on top of all that, he was the smartest guy in the whole school.

If I could ever save up my stomach-aches, I’d save them until the day before the final exam. But my mother was smart. She knew I was saving them up. I don’t know how she knew, but she always did. I’d get up that morning and say, “Oh mother, I don’t feel good at all. I think I should stay home today.”

But she’d always say, “You can stay home ‘tomorrow’ – but not today.” But staying home tomorrow wouldn’t do me any good because ‘today’ was the day of the final exam. ‘Today’ was the day of judgment!

I know Renton never felt like that because whenever we had a test, as soon as the questions were put down on the board, he would get his paper and dash through them. He was through the first two or three subjects before I’d even gotten the thing read.

He and another fellow used to say, “Oh boy, exams! They knew they’d be first and second in the class when the grades came out, and so they were excited about taking the test.

Final exams didn’t scare them. These boys were always at the top. They were not afraid of the Day of Judgment. They were not afraid – because they were ‘prepared for it.’

– Leonard Ravenhill

at Home

• Teach children responsibility by assigning chores relative to their age and ability.
• Take care of your own belongings and pick up after yourself.
• Answer children’s questions from the Word of God. Don’t just give them your pat-answers to their questions. Show them what the Bible has to say about the type of friends they should choose, how they should use their money etc. Demonstrate that God’s Word is our final Authority for life and that we are responsible to obey it’s instruction.
• Recognise that older brothers and sisters are responsible to be a Godly example to their siblings.
• If you break or damage an item belonging to someone else, don’t just ask forgiveness but be prepared to replace it with an item of similar value.
• If you have failed to keep promises to other members of the family, ask their forgiveness and make things right.

at Work/School

• Be respectful to teachers and other authorities.
• Complete assignments and projects on time.
• Don’t use “Company Time” for private business.

at Church

• Discover and exercise your spiritual gift.
• Pray for your church leadership.
• Pick up your own personal belongings and put hymn books and other items back where they belong.

• Knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting from me (Character Clues Game)
• Knowing and doing what is expected of me (Character First!)
• responsibil’ity noun state of being responsible; a trust or charge for which one is responsible. »Latin respondere, responsum, from re- back, and spondereto promise (The CHAMBERS DICTIONARY on CD-ROM)
• Responsibility is knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting from me
• Responsibility is using all my energies to fulfil the expectation of those who are counting on me
• Responsibility is realising the importance of the task assigned to us

• The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
• The Story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19)
• The story of Saul in 1 Samuel 15