Honesty

Definition:  Telling the whole truth in words and actions
Opposite:  Lying, deceitful

Bible Verse on Honesty:

Psalm 34:13 - Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Steve Green – Hide 'Em In Your Heart, Vol 1 - #11

Bible Songs on Honesty:

- O Be Careful (Traditional)
O be careful little eyes what you see (point to eyes)
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above (point up for Jesus)
Is looking down in love (put hand to eyes and look down)
O be careful little eyes what you see

Additional Verses:
…little hands what you do
…little feet where you go
…little ears what you hear
…little mouth what you say
…little mind what you think

Honesty Activities:

- Ananias and Sapphira Coloring Page - Ananias and Sapphira

- Teaching True vs. Not True - Great family activities from Value Parenting (reprinted with permission)
Ask, "Do you know the difference between something that's true and something that's not true? Let's see if you do. I'll say something and you say, 'True' or 'Not true.'" Start with simple physical facts and move toward things relating to behavior, for example:

• The sky is green. (Kids say, "Not true.")
• (Point at foot) This is my foot. (Kids say, "True.")
• Ants are bigger than elephants.
• We see with our eyes.
• We hear with our nose.
• Milk comes from chickens.
• Take a cookie out of a jar and eat it. Then say, "I didn't eat the cookie."
• Drop a toy on the couch. Then say, "Yes, I left my toy on the couch."

Then say, "You really can tell the difference between true and not true, can't you? Do you know what it's called when someone says something that's not true? It's called a lie."

Now: "I'll say some more things and you say, 'Truth' if it's true and 'Lie' if it's not true."

• Pick up a dollar on the floor. Then say, "I didn't find a dollar."
• Give a bit of food to someone else. Then say, "No, I didn't eat all my food. I gave some of it to ______."
  (Use more illustrations appropriate to your child or children.)

Then ask, "Why is telling the truth better than telling a lie?" (So that everyone knows what really happened; so the wrong person won't get blamed; so we can learn to do better, etc.)

 Helpful Parenting to Impress Blog Posts: