Sunday School Lesson #1:
Choosing Words
by Josh Hunt

Lesson #1: Choosing Words

These questions will serve you as a ready-to-go lesson on choosing words. Text is from Proverbs
Questions that are bold include a verse(s) to look up. If the question does not specifically site a text, assume the text for the section. In other words, on question four you are to look up Proverbs 4:24, 18:6 and so on.

I would like to ask a couple of you to share to get us started. Could someone share a time when someone said something to you -- perhaps a single sentence -- that made you blossom inside? Tell me about it.
How about a time when someone crushed you with a few words. Anyone brave enough to share about that?
Read Proverbs 18:21& 21:23. How would you explain these verses to a five-year-old?

As we read these verses, look for different ways words can hurt. Let's see how many we can list after reading these verses.

What do you think is meant by "corrupt talk?" (4:24)
Why the temptation to use corrupt talk? What is so fun about it? Why is God against it?
What about gossip; why is it so fun? What is so bad about gossip?
What is the difference between gossip and innocent talking about people and problems? When exactly is gossip?
How many of you have been hurt by gossip?
How many of you would admit that occasionally you tend to gossip?
The last category of harmful words is deception. What motivates people to deceive? What are the advantages?
What are the benefits of being an honest person?

As we read these three verses, look for physical, concrete word pictures of what helpful words are like.
How are helpful like a honeycomb?
What is it exactly about kind words that can immediately lift the spirit? Why do mere words help so much?
Can anyone give an example of the truth of Proverbs 15:1? Can you tell about a time when you saw a soft answer turn away wrath?
Is giving a soft answer easy or hard?
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to give a soft answer, but found themselves screaming? How do we move from people who do not give a soft answer toward people who naturally give a soft answer?

Each of these verses forms a couplet. There is a good use of the tongue and a bad usage. Let me draw a line on the board. As we read these verses, let's put the bad usages on one side, and the good ones on the other.
What do you think of when you hear the word folly? What is folly?
Verse four speaks of words that crush the spirit. Why do people use words that crush the spirit?
Look at verse 28. Do you think there is any relationship between how quickly you get words out and how kindly you speak?

What is one way you could improve your use of the tongue? Be specific. Perhaps you could think of something negative you could remove, or positive you could add.
What difference would it make to the people close to you if you were to make this change a permanent part of you life?

Thank you for your Support.