Dear Friends, Two main words that are the threads in this week's lesson are: "understanding" and "wisdom."
Mrs. Eddy writes the highest definition of "wisdom" on page 364 in Miscellaneous Writings.
"Christian Science refutes everything that is not a postulate of the divine Principle, God. It is the soul of divine philosophy, and there is no other philosophy. It is not a search after wisdom, it is wisdom: It is God's right hand grasping the universe, -- all time, space, immortality, thought, extension, cause, and effect; constituting and governing all identity, individuality, law, and power."
Here is a Word Study of the words understanding and wisdom from the Hebrew and Greek definitions and from the 1828 Webster's Dictionary. And a chart of the attributes and qualities of Mind. (Please know these can be added to eternally!)
Word Study for the Lesson on Mind
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Responsive Reading - last verse: James 1:17
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Research on Timothy t0 go with the verse II Tim. 3:14,15 in Section 5.
This research is long, but it tells about Timothy's background, about the importance of Sunday School, and about Timothy's discipleship. I found it very interesting, and especially helpful with this verse.
II Tim 3. 14 to 15 Research on Timothy
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Here is some research on the two main stories in this week's Lesson:
II Kings 6.8: Elisha and the Syrian Army
Notice that Elisha, the prophet or spiritual seer, was one who "with spiritual perception and wisdom delivered the city."
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CHILDREN'S IDEAS:
At the beginning of the school year, many students are in sports camps and preparing for participation in athletics. Here is a sheet of references and thoughts that I've used with high school and college students in praying for this preparation.
Ideas for praying for athletics
Ideas to work with to learn the seven synonyms:
These ideas can be adapted to any age child and used at home or in Sunday School. I'm giving you a list of attributes of all seven synonyms, but know that you can add to them eternally. They can be used for little booklets, charts to list them for class, on rings or on beaded necklaces to take home, on a train for a bulletin board with places to put the attributes on in the train cars, etc. etc.
Here are two sheets with qualities and attributes of the synonyms. Just know there are infinitely more of them. Working with small children, you can begin with just the names of the synonyms, (even making flash cards of the names for God) and then add one or two qualities as they are able, and then build on them up through high school.
page 1 list of synonyms and attributes
page 2 synonyms and attributes
Sometimes it is helpful to think about the synonyms and what they free us from. Here is a chart that might support that idea. This chart can be duplicated for each child and played like a game. Draw a card (compassion, intelligence, substance, flexibility, etc.) and place the card under the correct synonym. Or it can be made into a large wall chart and discussed that way. Or it can be made individually with one synonym on each chart. (This chart comes from www.biblosfoundation.org in the Teaching Section.)
FLASHCARDS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN:
Samples of flashcards for Seven Synonyms
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". . . Mind should be and is supreme, absolute and final." 219:4
Hope these ideas are helpful!
Kathy