TEACHING THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL

Throughout the preceding article on the Fifth Commandment were various ideas
useful for discussions with your children or Sunday School pupils. Please refer back
to those pages if you have come directly to this page seeking help for teaching the
Fifth Commandment to children.

Below are a few more ideas for sharing with Sunday School children, in the light
of the teachings of Christian Science.

After explaining the concept of "honor," ask the class to come up with the qualities
that would make an ideal mom and dad -- ones that children would want to honor.
Perhaps record the ideas on paper. Discuss the synonyms of God, and how the
qualities that originate in these different aspects of God's nature can be expressed
by man. Get across the idea that we never lack these qualities in our experience
since they come from God and do not originate with "persons." Ask the kids how
they might want to share these same qualities with their families and others.

Focus a class on the idea of Love -- Mother -- as "leader." Look up citations that
support the idea that Love leads. "Lead us not into temptation." "Love…designates
and leads the way." Mrs. Eddy as "Mother," then "Leader." We honor Love for
leading us. Ask them to consider the possibility of being a "mother" to themselves,
when needed. How might we do this? Role play the "self talk" needed to use this
concept in certain situations.

Discuss the concept of "reflection" with regard to our relationship to God. What
does this mean? How should a reflection or expression of God behave? Or think?
Or reason? Or pray? How does reflection "honor" God or our parents? Discuss
honoring the qualities of Life (Father) and Love (Mother) in our own thoughts. How
can we learn to listen and obey (honor) these qualities? How do we put down the
undisciplined animal instincts in order to become willing pure reflections of Life
and Love? How do we stand up for God in the face of aggressive mental suggestions
to disobey Mind? Is thwarting this activity of animal magnetism a form of obedience
to the Fifth Commandment? Why?

For little children, ask what kind of family rules they have in their home. Discuss
the good that comes with obedience, then talk about the consequences of disobedience.
Tell them that if we try to obey all of the Ten Commandments from God, then we will
be obeying the Fifth Commandment, since we will be honoring God when we follow
His rules for His family. We also obey the Fifth Commandment when we follow the
commands of Jesus, our brother, who came to show us what our Father-Mother God
is like.

Little kids are very keen on the word "promise." "But, you PROMISED me we would
go to the zoo if I was good." Show them that promise in the Fifth Commandment.
Discuss the power and presence of God and how it would be impossible for Him to
break a promise. But what is our part of the deal? Perhaps make a list of things they
promise to do the next week that would exercise their ability to obey their parents.
Or, list one or two ways they could improve their obedience to one of the Ten Com-

mandments, such as telling the truth or not taking things that do not belong to them.

If you have any ideas to share on this page, please let me know.