Doing the Right Thing

June 21, 2004

Main Point: There are always consequences to our lack of integrity…even when they’re not immediate. And besides, God wants us to do the right thing, even when no one else is looking.

Discussion Starter: The Stray Path
This humorous and short little video certainly qualifies as “homemade” but it does teach a strong lesson about integrity. Basically, a young man in med school finds himself in need of answers on a test, over and over again. You may be surprised by what he does, and what happens as a result.

YouTube Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVuNzFkgfDo&feature=related

Transitional Statement:
I think my favorite part of this video is when the two guys are signaling each other using “slightly overboard” hand signals.

OK, that wasn’t exactly Steven Spielberg quality, but I think you get the point. Just like the guy in the video, you and I must do the right thing. Matt decided to cheat on a test, and it got him into a bad habit, which then got him into trouble. Fortunately, we found out at the end, that he was just daydreaming, and he eventually chose to do the right thing.

I want us to leave here understanding one simple truth: There are always consequences to our lack of integrity even if they’re not immediate. God wants us to do the right thing, even if no one is looking, so let’s spend a few minutes trying to figure out how to do that.

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

AROUND THE CIRCLE: As we get started, let’s all take a second to share our names and whether you’ve ever seen anyone cheat on a test in school.

ASK A FEW: At the very beginning of the film, did you think he was going to cheat? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: What did his decision to cheat cost him?

ASK A FEW: What did it cost others?

ASK A FEW: Do you think most people cheat or not?

ASK A FEW: How do you define integrity?

ASK A FEW: What are some examples of poor integrity?

ASK A FEW: What do you think God’s Word has to say about integrity?

Read the following passage:

The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes. 13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble. 14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. 15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. 16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. 17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. 18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. 20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace. 21 No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. 22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

ASK A FEW: What are some of the differences this passage outlines between righteous people and wicked people?

ASK A FEW: How does verse 13 relate to consequences? (Leaders – You want to show the students that eventually, all are “trapped” by their lack of integrity.)

ASK A FEW: According to verse 21, the wicked will suffer because of their wickedness, but the righteous people will be spared because of their righteousness. Why is that?

ASK A FEW: Have you ever suffered because of a lack of integrity? If so, how?

ASK A FEW: How well do you line up with the integrity discussed in this proverb?

ASK A FEW: What are some areas that you could work on when it comes to your integrity?

AROUND THE CIRCLE: What will you do or change immediately to align yourself with God’s idea of righteousness and integrity?

WRAP UP:
Nobody thinks it’s easy to do the right thing all the time. If it were, many more of us would do it, right!? But, the truth is, it’s often difficult to do the right thing, and it’s often difficult to avoid doing the wrong thing.

But as we turn to God’s Word, we find direction for how to live, with clear warnings for every path we could take. We were told tonight that an honest, righteous life will have its rewards, but a dishonest, wicked life will be filled with pain. The choice is up to us, just like the guy in the video from earlier.

Some of us need to make a decision tonight to steer ourselves away from wickedness and unrighteousness. Bow your heads and close your eyes—I’m going to pray. If some of you know that you need to make a decision to steer away from a situation where you will face temptations to cast away your integrity, then make that decision tonight. After I close us up in prayer, please hang around to talk with myself or one of our adult leaders.

Close in Prayer