Acts 6:8-10 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
We studied Acts 6 with the pre-teens on Sunday. The kids and I talked about how many good things the church does, and it is important for certain people to use their gifts to meet the needs of the community so that others can focus on proclaiming the word of God. I’m thankful to all those in the church who do many “little” things to further the kingdom of God.
We also talked about arguing. The kids shared who they argued with the most (usually a sibling) and what they argued about (usually opinions or inconsequential things). I believe it is important that we demonstrate and teach our children when and how to argue. When we disagree, its important to be like Stephen and remember the following:
1. Be full of God’s grace (what we say is just as important as how we say it)
2. Stick to the facts (find common ground)3. Remain calm (see point 1)
4. Hold to the Truth (However, if it’s an opinion, value the person over the point)