PSST: Speak only what is true this week.

[PSST: Speak only what is true this week.  Do what you say you will do.]

Possible Sunday School Topics for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on;
"Truth"  for Sunday, 1-27-13
By Steve Henn, C.S. St. Louis, Missouri steven.henn@gmail.com
[Steve's been a CedarS Program Director & teaches English at The Principia School. This insert & bracketed italics are by Warren Huff, CedarS Director & Met/PSST editor.]

PSST – Golden Text
Perhaps the best way to start this lesson is with Pilate's question when he is questioning Jesus, 'What is truth?'  Using the Golden Text as a guide, we can also add the question, 'what is God's way?' to expand our inquiry into truth.

Rather than keeping this conversation at such a 30,000 foot level, bring it closer to home by talking about simpler ideas and 'smaller' truths (though in reality, even the smallest truth is bigger than the largest error).  Can your students identify one thing, however small, that they know is true, for certain? That is a solid foundation to work from, and with that, you can move more confidently through this week's lesson.

PSST – Responsive Reading
Look at all the great actions this responsive reading calls for, walking and working, and so on.  What role can these actions play in our students' lives?  Do they understand the significance of walking in the Bible?  What does true working indicate?  And what is integrity?  A great and simple definition I've used is 'doing what you say you will do'.  And a way I like to think about this idea is, being intimately connected to your word.  Can we be so carefully connected to our word that we only speak what is true this week?  [Consider connecting this with the 9^th Commandment of not bearing false witness.]

PSST – Section 1
There are a number of qualities expressed in this section, greatness, perfection, righteousness, along with vanity and more.  Find these qualities and relate them to truth.  How do we more closely approach truth through these qualities?  What is the firm foundation upon which we can build our own lives?  Mrs. Eddy speaks of foundation in section one, and its role in our lives. [S3 & S4]

PSST – Section 2
What is Solomon really asking for [in citation B7]?  How does his experience mirror our own lives?  Help your students recognize that there is no loss in the pursuit of Truth.  They will not miss out on the fun their friends are having, for Truth lengthens our days.  In fact, the 'fun' they will have in search of Truth is bigger than any limited or mortal experience can offer.

PSST – Section 3
How is Truth connected to wisdom?  As we seek truth, how does it help us be wiser in our daily activities?  As you consider what Truth is, it may help to discuss the attributes of God, first, and then talk about the attributes of Truth.  In what ways does knowing Truth better equate to or further your knowledge of yourself?

PSST – Section 4
How is grace connected to Truth? [See S17]  How did Jesus express grace and what does this teach about the relationship between grace and Truth?  [B16]  Perhaps before you launch into this conversation you should first discuss what grace is.  And a wonderful offshoot of what grace is can be a conversation about what grace means to Christianity.  How is grace connected to humility?

PSST – Section 5
Truth begets freedom; that is one central message to this section.  [B18, John 8:32]  Do your students see that?  Can you come up with examples of this being the case in modern day?  In one sense, consider the constrictions placed upon someone who tries to tell a lie to improve his position in a relationship, in school, on the athletic field, and so on.  In another sense, consider the freedom experienced when someone knows the truth about how something works, or the truth of an important mathematical equation.  Truth truly does make us free in many situations.  Ultimately, this conversation should lead to the freedom of knowing the truth of being as wholly apart from matter.

PSST – Section 6
If Truth offers freedom, it is obedience* to Truth that connects man to the power that freedom promises. [S24]  What does it mean to be obedient* to Truth?  Consider this in the field of mathematics as an example.  Then consider other opportunities to be obedient and discuss how obedience leads to power.  Perhaps it is worthwhile to discuss what true power is, since it seems that so many people gain 'power' by being false, whether the power is financial or other. 
*[Coach your athletes and relationship-builder on knowing beyond a doubt about when to “make their moves” by learning to live Mrs. Eddy’s insights on “Obedience” starting on page 116 in her Miscellaneous Writings.  There she says: “The disobedient make their moves before God makes His, or make them too late to follow Him.  Be sure that God directs your way; then, hasten to follow under every circumstance.“ (Misc. 117: 29)]

PSST – Section 7
In the end, help your students recognize the subtle, but profound and important difference between truth and Truth.  Consider this difference with them, one is similar to a fact or a law the other is a synonym for God, who is not truthful, but Truth itself – who is not loving, but Love itself.  We must get the magnitude of this Truth and Love, if we are ever to understand God.  [S29]