{"id":789,"date":"2012-08-27T15:30:18","date_gmt":"2012-08-27T19:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/faithkids\/?p=789"},"modified":"2014-07-22T11:06:39","modified_gmt":"2014-07-22T15:06:39","slug":"the-case-of-the-missing-money-a-story-on-family-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/faithkids\/the-case-of-the-missing-money-a-story-on-family-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"The Case of the Missing Money: A Family Communication Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

Communication is hard, isn’t it?\u00a0 How many needless disputes have you gotten into because\u00a0of something you said.\u00a0 How many relationships have you damaged by thoughtless words?<\/span><\/p>\n

Even when we think carefully about the words we say, we can still foul things up.\u00a0 But it gets so much worse when our tongues aren’t connected to our brains…or more precisely, when our tongues aren’t connected to brains filled with right motives.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus said, “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (Matthew 12:34).\u00a0 If our goal is to honor Christ in everything we say, we’ve already won 90% of the battle.\u00a0<\/strong> The remaining 10% involves understanding and following Scripture’s principles for godly communication.<\/span><\/p>\n

Training Kids<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

We just started a new series in our 3rd-5th Grade Children’s Church.\u00a0 The series titled “Wha’ ‘chu talkin’ ’bout?”<\/em> is all about honoring God in the way we communicate.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is designed to be a kids’ version of the session we teach in our biblical counselor training on The Four Rules of Communication<\/em>, which is based on principles found in Ephesians 4:25-32.\u00a0 Here are the four rules we highlight:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Be Honest:<\/strong>\u00a0 Don’t lie.\u00a0 Speak the truth. (Eph. 4:25)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Keep Current:<\/strong>\u00a0 Handle today’s problems today. (Eph. 4:26-27)<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Attack the Problem, Not the Person:<\/strong>\u00a0 Be solution-oriented.\u00a0(Eph. 4:29-30)<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Act, Don’t React:<\/strong>\u00a0 Use the emotions God gave you for positive action.\u00a0 (Eph. 4:31-32)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I would encourage you to review these principles with your kids.\u00a0 Then, use them to discuss the case study below.\u00a0 This exercise could lead into a fruitful conversation about the ways in which your kids can grow in godly communication.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Missing Money<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Derek and Mason are brothers.\u00a0 For over six months, Derek and Mason have been saving money to buy a new video game system.\u00a0 The system they want costs $300.<\/span><\/p>\n

    They\u2019ve been doing extra chores around the house, mowing their neighbors\u2019 lawns, and doing special projects for their relatives all in an effort to save extra money.\u00a0\u00a0Whenever they\u00a0have\u00a0been paid for their work, they have put their money in a special cash register in their room.<\/span><\/p>\n

    One day, after receiving some money for mowing a neighbor\u2019s lawn, Derek went to the cash register to make a deposit, but when he opened it, he was a bit surprised.\u00a0 <\/span>It had been a while since he had checked the register, but it looked like there was far less money in it than there should have been.\u00a0 <\/span>He thought there should have been at least twice as much money in the register.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Trap<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Derek became angry.\u00a0 <\/span>Though he wasn\u2019t sure, Derek believed Mason was stealing.\u00a0 So, he decided to test Mason.\u00a0 Derek decided to count all the money in the bank and to check back every couple of days to see if more money was being taken.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then, Derek took the money he had gotten from his neighbor that afternoon, and rolled it up in a pair of socks so that if Mason was stealing, he wouldn\u2019t be able to take the money Derek had a just earned.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Later that afternoon when Mason got home from soccer, Derek refused to speak with him.\u00a0 <\/span>He just stared as Mason.\u00a0 <\/span>When Mason asked Derek if something was bothering him, Derek said, \u201cNo.\u00a0 <\/span>Nothing,\u201d and just walked away.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A couple of days went by, and Derek decided it was time to count the money.\u00a0 <\/span>He went back to the cash register and counted the money again.\u00a0 And sure encough, five dollars was missing.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

    Derek just knew that Mason had been stealing from him.\u00a0 Then, when Derek went to check the money in the sock drawer, he discovered that that money was missing too.\u00a0 He was furious.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

    The Confrontation<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    When Mason came home from soccer practice, Dered threw Mason on the bed and started\u00a0pounding him.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Mason started fighting back and yelling, \u201cStop it, Derek.\u00a0 <\/span>Get off of me!\u00a0 Mom!\u00a0 Dad!\u00a0 Derek’s beating me up!”<\/span><\/p>\n

    And with fists swinging and legs kicking Derek began shouting, \u201cWhere\u2019s my money, you little thief!\u00a0 <\/span>I want my money.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    The boys\u2019 parent came in to break up the fight.\u00a0 <\/span>As they pulled the Derek and Mason off of one another, they asked the boys what this was all about.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Derek said, \u201cMason\u2019s been stealing from me.\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ve been saving for a new video game system, and Mason\u2019s been taking all kinds of money from the cash register.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cNuh, uh,\u201d said Mason, \u201cThe only thing I took from the cash register was five dollars.\u00a0 <\/span>But I had a really good reason.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cOh, yeah? What?\u201d asked Derek.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Mason got quiet and said, \u201cI can\u2019t tell you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    At that point, Derek lunged for Mason and said, \u201cThen, I\u2019m gonna make you tell me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    The boys started kicking and flailing around as their parents were forced to pull them apart again.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cFine,\u201d Mason blurted out, \u201cI took it to get you something for your birthday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cYou did what,\u201d Derek asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Mason reluctantly admitted, \u201cI took it to get you something for your birthday.\u00a0 <\/span>See, I was getting dressed yesterday, and when I went to put on a pair of socks, I unrolled it and this wad of money fell out.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know where the money came from, but since you and I keep money in the cash register, I figured Mom had found some of the money I made from doing things for neighbors when she did the laundry, and put the money in the sock drawer.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

    “I took the money to get you a present for your birthday next week, but it wasn\u2019t enough.\u00a0 <\/span>I was five dollars short.\u00a0 So, I took the five\u00a0dollars from the cash register.\u00a0\u00a0I didn\u2019t want to tell you about it.\u00a0 <\/span>I wanted it to be a surprise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Derek just smirked and said, \u201cI don\u2019t believe you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cWhy not,\u201d asked Mason.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cBecause there\u2019s a lot of other money missing from the cash register\u2014probably about $50.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cOh, that?\u201d the boys\u2019 mother asked.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI borrowed that money from your cash register to pay for pizza the other night.\u00a0 I didn’t have any cash on me when the delivery man cam.\u00a0 But I rant to the bank today to get some money to pay you back.\u00a0 See, here it is.”\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

    Their mother pulled $50 out of her pocket, and Derek felt very foolish.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For Further Discussion…<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. What are the four rules of communication?<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Which communication rules, if any,\u00a0did Derek violate?<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Which rules, if any,\u00a0did Mason violate?<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Which rules, if any, did their parents violate?<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. What would Derek have done differently if he had been following the four rules of communication?<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. What would Mason have done differently if he had been following the four rules?<\/span><\/li>\n
    7. What would\u00a0their parents\u00a0have done differently if he had been following the four rules?<\/span><\/li>\n
    8. Can you think of an example when you broke one of the four rules?\u00a0 If you had been following the rules, what would you have done differently?<\/span><\/li>\n
    9. Read Ephesians 4:25-32 and see if you can determine the verses that teach each rule of communication.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      We just started a new series in our 3rd-5th Grade Children’s Church that is designed to be a kids’ version of our biblical counselor training on The Four Rules of Communication. I would encourage you to review these principles with your kids and use them to discuss “The Case of the Missing Money.” This exercise could lead into a fruitful conversation about the ways in which your kids can grow in godly communication.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[27,22,41],"tags":[9700,45,5286,43],"yoast_head":"\nThe Case of the Missing Money: A Family Communication Story - Faith Kids Connection<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/faithkids\/the-case-of-the-missing-money-a-story-on-family-communication\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Case of the Missing Money: A Family Communication Story - Faith Kids Connection\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We just started a new series in our 3rd-5th Grade Children's Church that is designed to be a kids' version of our biblical counselor training on The Four Rules of Communication. 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