INTRODUCTION

Jacob Deceives Esau and Isaac

Bible Point:

Honesty is important to God.

Key Verse:

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in [those] who are truthful” (Proverbs 12:22).

Big Picture:

Learn the benefits of being honest, even when it seems like either would be easier to lie.

Jacob Deceives Esau and Isaac

Genesis 25:27-32; 27:1-40

As you grow, you’re starting to think about what’s right and wrong in new ways. You might even wonder if honesty always matters or if it’s okay to bend the truth sometimes. This week, you’ll learn that God values truth because God is truth, and because God loves you. Being honest isn’t about being afraid of getting in trouble. It’s about choosing the kind of life where you can trust others and they can trust you. Telling the truth helps you reflect God’s character and live with real freedom.

PLANTING THE SEED

Isaac was a very old man. His sons Jacob and Esau were grown up. Jacob stayed near home, and Esau was a hunter. Isaac called Esau to his bedside and told him to go hunt some game and prepare some tasty food for his father. Then Isaac would give Esau his blessing. (Esau was the older son and getting the blessing was a very big deal.) So Esau went out hunting. Meanwhile, Rebekah told Jacob to pretend to be Esau so he’d get the blessing instead.

So Jacob dressed in Esau’s clothes and put goatskin on his arms and neck (so he’d feel like his hairier brother) and took some food in for Isaac whose eyesight had grown very weak because he was so old. Isaac thought Jacob was Esau and gave Jacob the blessing. Boy, was Esau mad!

BIBLE POINT

Honesty is important to God.

KEY VERSE

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful” (Proverbs 12:22).

ASK YOUR FAMILY

• Why is honesty important?

• When has lying hurt your family?

• What can your family members do to help one another avoid lying?

FAMILY FUN

Make a commitment in your family to hold one another accountable for telling the truth. It’s easy to slip into “little white lies” or into the habit of not telling the whole truth. Without accusing one another, this week try to make sure everyone in your family tells the whole truth, the whole time. To gently nudge one another toward the whole truth, say encouraging reminders that they are safe to share the full truth and don’t have to depend on white lies to be understood and loved. Pretty soon, you’ll see that you’re in the habit of the whole truth!

READY, SET, GROW!

Choose a way you’ll be honest this week:

• When you’re in a situation where it seems like lying will get you out of trouble, tell the truth right away. (You’ll probably stay out of the most trouble that way. If not, you will still learn a very valuable lesson and see just how much others around you are able to forgive.)

• If you’ve lied to your parents recently, talk to them about that. Now’s a great time to tell the truth!

• Forgive someone who’s lied to you recently. Tell that person that you forgive him or her; then talk about why they felt the need to lie, and share that you are a safe and kind person that can handle honesty from them as a true friend.