This is the first of a monthly mailing designed to help parents teach Biblical character qualities to their children. Each month a different character quality will be presented with suggestions for Bible lessons and projects. The length of time you spend teaching these principles to your children each day is not nearly as important as your sincerity and consistency. Begin each time with a relevant hymn or chorus. Then take a verse, theme or story from the suggestions below as the basis for your daily "Bible Time" with your family. Give relevant application of the lesson to your family; and don't forget to ask your children the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When? and How? Get each member of the family involved by assigning different verses to be read. Finally, conclude your time with family prayer.

Related Hymns and Choruses

• Will Jesus Find Us Watching (Fanny Crosby)
• Open My Eyes, That I May See (Clara H. Scott)
• Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Helen H. Lemmel)
• Softly and Tenderly (Will L. Thompson)

Bible Verses Related to Attentiveness

Spend an evening (or several) looking at just one of these verses at a time. Don't forget to ask your children the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When? and How? Discuss with your family what each verse or story teaches about the character quality. Choose several verses to memorise together as a family.

• Deuteronomy 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest [that which is] good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
• Proverbs 1:5 A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
• Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
• Proverbs 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
• Proverbs 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
• Proverbs 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
• Proverbs 8:34 Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
• Proverbs 15:31  The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
• Proverbs 15:32  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. {instruction: or, correction} {heareth: or, obeyeth} {getteth...: Heb. possesseth an heart}
• Proverbs 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him. {answereth...: Heb. returneth a word}
• Ecclesiastes 7:5 [It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
• Isaiah 6:9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. {indeed, but understand: or, without ceasing, etc: Heb. in hearing, etc}
• Isaiah 30:9 That this [is] a rebellious people, lying children, children [that] will not hear the law of the LORD:
• Jeremiah 13:10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. {imagination: or, stubbornness}
• Ezekiel 33:32 And, lo, thou [art] unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. {a very...: Heb. a song of loves}
• Zechariah 7:12 Yea, they made their hearts [as] an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. {by: Heb. by the hand of}
• Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
• Matthew 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
• Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
• Matthew 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
• Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
• Matthew 13:16 But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
• Luke 6:27  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
• Luke 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
• Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
• John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
• John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
• James 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
• Revelation 1:3  Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.
• Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Bible Stories

• The story of Samuel in 1 Samuel chapter 3
• The Parable of the Sower in Matthew chapter 13

Character Definitions

• Showing the worth of a person by giving undivided concentration to his words
• Learning who to be attentive to, what to listen for, and who not to listen to
• Listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to learn God's moral standards and will

Projects

How to Demonstrate Attentiveness

to God

• Spend time with the Lord first thing in the morning (Psalm 5:3; Mark 1:35)
• Listen to the Word of God (Revelation 1:3)
• Remove thoughts that distract from God
• Use fasting to concentrate on the Lord (Matthew 6:16-18)

• Honor the presence of your parents (Leviticus 19:32)
• Look at the faces of your parents
• Look into the eyes of your parents (Psalm 32:8)
• Remember the words of your parents (Proverbs 6:20-22)
• Let them know where you are at all times

• Sit up and lean slightly forward
• Look at the speaker
• Don't watch your watch
• Take notes on what you hear
• Stifle yawns, coughs, and sneezes
• Dress up for church
• Sit as close to the front as possible

• Pray for your civil authorities (1 Timothy 2:2)
• Learn how God uses civil authorities ( 1 Peter 2:14)
• Know and honor the law in your community

• Learn the priorities of your employer
• Protect the name of your employerDeflect praise to your employer
• Demonstrate attentiveness to detail
• Have the attitude of a servant - become excited about making him successful

What is the key to ATTENTIVENESS

You can become a believer in Christ by sincerely praying the following: "God, I confess that I have broken Your Law. I deserve to die, but I do now repent of my sin and receive Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the full payment for my sin. Amen."

Other Helpful Material

Spiritual Deafness
# Isa 6:10 Jer 6:10 Eze 12:2 Zec 7:11 Mt 13:15 Ac 28:26
# 2Ti 4:4

Spiritual Hearing of Believers
# Pr 8:34 15:31 Ec 5:1 Hab 3:2 Lu 8:15 Jas 1:19 Re 2:11

TEACHABLENESS - The Hearing Ear
# Ps 40:6 Pr 18:15 20:12 25:12 Mt 11:15 13:16

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How does the wood duck illustrate ATTENTIVENESS?

 

A pair of wood ducks work together in building their nest and preparing it for their young. When the nest is complete, the mother wood duck lays one egg each day for twelve to fifteen days. Amazingly, the egg that was laid on the fifteenth day hatches on the same day as the egg that was laid on the first day!

 

How does attentiveness allow baby wood ducks to hatch on the same day?

 

All the eggs hatch on the same day because the mother and father wood ducks begin "talking" to their young while they are still in the eggs. In this way the young ducklings learn to be attentive to the voices of their parents. As the day approaches for hatching, the mother wood duck begins giving instructions to the unhatched wood ducklings. Before long, a chorus of "peeps" and "kucks" comes from the eggs, as the ducklings respond to their parents and to one another. These "conversations" between adult wood ducks and their young bond them together and help to synchronize the hatching process so all the ducklings break out of their shells within minutes of one another!

 

How ATTENNTIVENESS saves a wood duck's life

 

When the ducklings are less than twenty-four hours old, their mother flies to the base of the nesting tree and calls up to her ducklings to leave the nest. This instruction could mean a jump of up to fifty feet for the ducklings. Ducklings that were attentive to their mother's voice before hatching scramble up the side of the nest and jump. Usually all the ducklings (called a clutch) jump out of the nest in less than five minutes. This quick response is necessary because hungry predators also hear the mother's call and will come to devour the mother and her ducklings if they do not find safety in a nearby pond. In the pond the ducklings continue to be protected by being attentive to their mother's warnings. When they hear a warning, they must remain motionless until the danger is passed.

Sources used for compiling this mailing:

• The Online Bible
• Character Booklet 1 - The Character First! Education curriculum is developed by the Character Training Institute, a non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If you live in the USA, you may request information directly by calling 405-815-0001, writing 520 W. Main St., Oklahoma City, OK 73102, or visiting www.characterfirst.com.