Thoroughness curriculum by Institute in Basic Life Principles

THOROUGHNESS

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Thoroughness in Scripture The Character of God

stones were prepared. Scholars estimate these stones were 12- or 15-feet long and weighed 40-50 tons each! Thoroughness was evident in the transmission of instructions, the method by which the Temple was built, and the intricacy of the wall carvings and coverings of gold during this seven-year project.

•  God always finishes His work completely. (See Genesis 2:1–2, John 17:4, Philippians 1:6.) •  God cares that even the smallest details of His instructions are carried out. (See Exodus 28:31–33.) •  When God forgives, He forgives completely. (See Psalm 51:2; Psalm 103:12.)

3. Build habits of thoroughness. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). God gives us opportunities to build habits of thoroughness while we are young to prepare us for the great plans He has for our future. When we pay attention to the detailed instructions in our math assignments now, we will be more apt to pay attention to the detailed instructions of our employers in the future. When we are careful to spell and use correct punctuation in our personal journals, we form habits that will make communication more effective when we write for an audience in the future. We don’t know what God has in store for us, but we do know He wants us to be faithful in the little things He has given us to do now.

•  Jesus fulfilled the details of every prophecy related to His first advent. (See Luke 24:44.) •  Without the Holy Spirit we tend to overlook spiritual factors. (See I Corinthians 2:12–14.) •  The Holy Spirit is needed for us to be effective. (See Zechariah 4:6.)

Key Concepts 1. Complete the job. A thorough person gives attention to each part of the instructions, knows what is expected, and completes the job. One detail we do not want to overlook is the final step: clean-up. In the miracle of feeding the 5,000, Jesus instructed His disciples to gather up all the fragments of food after everyone was fed. In doing the clean up, they were also able to see the miracle of what had just occurred. (See John 6:11–13.) Remember, “It’s not complete until it’s neat!”

Thoroughness in My Life

2. Listen carefully and follow the details of instructions. God gave David specific instructions for how to build the Temple to give to his son, Solomon. (See I Chronicles 28:10–19.) I Kings 6:7–38 describes the building process. To avoid the sound of carpenters’ tools at the Temple site, everything was cut and prepared off-site and then brought in. No further alterations could be done on-site so extreme thoroughness, precision, and attention to detail were required as the

•  Nehemiah 2:11–15, 17—Nehemiah surveyed the situation before beginning the mammoth task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. What projects do I need to take the time to think through before beginning? •  Matthew 12:36—Will we give account only for the significant things we say, or even for the thoughtless words we speak? •  I Corinthians 13:1–3—What one factor determines if my work is effective or not? 1

•  Exodus 39:42–43—Moses and the Israelites completed all—every detail—that the Lord instructed them to do in building the Tabernacle. Are you careful to thoroughly complete the work assigned to you?

THOROUGHNESS Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Thoroughness in the life of Ezra

Read Ezra 7:11–8:36 as a family and discuss the following questions: 1. What two responsibilities were entrusted to Ezra by the king? “Thou [Ezra] art sent of the king . . . to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; and to carry the silver and gold . . . .The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:14–15, 19). What is a responsibility or task you have been given by your parents?

4. How did Ezra keep careful track of what he gave to the chief priests before they went to Jerusalem? “And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God . . .” (Ezra 8:25). Where do you write down the steps or things you need to remember?

6. A fter they arrived in Jerusalem, what did the priests do with the gold and silver? “Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest . . . by number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time” (Ezra 8:33– 34). Who do you ask to check your work with you to make sure it is completed well before you go do something else?

3. A s Ezra gathered the people together, who did he discover was missing? “And I gathered them [the volunteers] together . . . and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi” (Ezra 8:15). Name a project your family is working on today that requires everyone’s participation. What specific ways can you help get the job done? 2

5. H ow much silver and gold did Ezra count? Do you think this was a fast job or one that took a lot of time? “I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold” (Ezra 8:26–27). During a long, tedious task, do you finish it well or give in to the temptation to rush and skip a few steps?

2. E zra knew the factors necessary to set up the House of God for worship. If this job required additional resources, what did King Artaxerxes tell his servants to do? “And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house” (Ezra 7:20–22). What should you do if you realize that you do not have everything you need to complete your task?

THOROUGHNESS

Ezra Carefully Weighs the Silver and Gold “So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.” —EZRA 8:30 3

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

THOROUGHNESS

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Memory Verse PROVERBS 18:15 “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.”

Memory Verse Game: Unscramble

Doers of the Word Ask God how He wants you to apply the verse (i.e. “Listen carefully when given instructions” or “Double-check my schoolwork”) and then fill in the blank with His answer: “Dear Lord, I yield to You and am willing to apply this verse by _____________________________________ _____________________________________. I ask that You would develop thoroughness in my life. Amen.” When the Lord gives you an opportunity to apply this verse, discuss it as a family and write it down in your personal journal to later recall God’s working in your life. 4

Have the children write an assigned word or phrase from the memory verse on a sheet of paper. Shuffle the papers and hand them out face down so that the children do not see which words they received. On the count of three have the children look at the words on their papers and then time them to see how fast they can line up with the words in the correct order. Repeat mixing up the papers, redistributing, and timing the children as they line up until the children have memorized the verse.

THOROUGHNESS

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Craft Instructions Every Piece Matters Introduction Read to the children: “This month we are asking the Lord to develop thoroughness in our lives. What a privilege to respond to the work He is doing to change us into the image of His Son! Today we are going to make puzzles to remind us that, just like missing pieces yield an incomplete or unfinished picture, missing details make our work incomplete or unfinished. As we focus on the Lord, He will help us discern and thoroughly complete important details.”

Supplies Pictures (such as old calendar pictures or pictures drawn by the children on cardstock), scissors

Instructions

Give each child a picture and a pair of scissors. Instruct them to cut their pictures into large pieces to create their puzzles. Once the pictures are in pieces, instruct the children to put their pictures together again. Inconspicuously remove a puzzle piece from each child’s craft while the children are re-assembling the pictures. When the children discover they each are missing a puzzle piece, say, “The one piece missing reflects the opposite of thoroughness, which is incompleteness. Incomplete means ‘unfinished.’ Looking at your pictures with one piece missing is not as enjoyable, is it? You may even feel disappointed or frustrated. On the other hand, thoroughness leads to feelings of completeness and satisfaction, being pleased with the results of your efforts.” Put the hidden piece in the correct spot to finish the puzzle. If desired, let the children swap puzzles, shuffle the pieces, and reconstruct their pictures. This time they can experience the joy in a task done thoroughly, nothing missing.

THOROUGHNESS

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Activity Page Calculator Tournament Practice paying attention to detail by adding up one of the column of numbers below on a calculator. Leaving out just one number or entering it incorrectly will throw off the accuracy of your answer. Have a family member add up the other column of numbers; if you are both thorough in your work, your answers at the end will be the same.

97 16 450 565 829 38 52 9 348 596

Take special care to practice thoroughness in your math this month by reading the directions, being careful not to skip any steps, and finally double-checking your answers to the problems.

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500 392 78 177 32 9 464 819 6 523

HYMN HISTORY

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

“Complete in Thee” The young man paused to wipe the beading sweat from his brow. The heavy Florida humidity was lifted momentarily as a breeze blew in from the gulf. The sailing vessels at St. Mark’s usually hauled cargo holds of turpentine and fermented brews. Bending over and lifting another crate, Aaron Wolfe was adding his own precious cargo to the ship’s load. All his worldly possessions were in these crates: his personal library, his sermon notes, and other items of great value to a seminarian and teacher. Such was Wolfe: he had graduated seminary in New Jersey in 1851, and the last three years he had served as headmaster of the Young Ladies School in Tallahassee, Florida. Now the 34-year-old was ready to consider the pastorate and was returning north in search of a congregation to serve. His worldly goods were in these crates, bound by the sea route to New York while he traveled overland with only his knapsack. In two weeks when he would finally arrive at his destination, he would go to the shipping office and claim his possessions. Two weeks passed and Wolfe arrived in New York. Eagerly he headed to the shipping office to reclaim his valuables. As Wolfe told the clerk the name of the ship which had borne his belongings, a look came over the clerk's face that told him something had gone very wrong. The clerk, indeed, had bad news for Wolfe. The day the ship was supposed to set sail, a storm had blown into port. A bolt of lightning had struck the ship, killing the mate at the foot of the mast and setting the vessel afire. The ship’s main cargo—turpentine—had ignited instantly, and even the most valiant efforts of the crew could not quench the engulfing flames. The ship burned at the water's edge, and Wolfe’s belongings were lost.

Years later, Wolfe would tell the story of this loss with gratefulness, explaining how God used that fire to redirect him. Instead of becoming the pastor of a church, Reverend Aaron Wolfe poured his life into effective ministry with young people. How does Wolfe’s life example the character quality of thoroughness? First, he knew that the destruction of all his earthly goods would not diminish the effectiveness of his work or words. However, he also comprehended the fact that neglecting spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fellowship, and Bible study would diminish his effectiveness for the Lord. He understood well the truth that he was complete in Christ—he had all he needed in Him to do whatever God called him to do. 7

Aaron R. Wolfe The news was devastating. Yet Wolfe was aware of the fleeting worth of physical (1821–1902) possessions. Wisely, he had been faithful in building spiritual character and heavenly riches in his life. He knew the importance of spiritual treasures to enhance his work and words. Wolfe’s life and work were not dependent upon his now-lost physical things; this young man knew that he had all he needed in Christ.

HYMN HISTORY

“Complete in Thee” | page 2

Even before Wolfe lost all his worldly goods in the fire, he had penned a hymn testifying of God’s thorough work in all spiritual aspects for us: salvation, sanctification, redemption: Complete in Thee—each want supplied, And no good thing to me denied; Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more, complete in Thee. Wolfe exampled thoroughness in another special way. One day as he was looking through a hymnal, he noticed a lack of songs celebrating the Lord's Table (communion). He discerned the need for one on this topic; consequently, he wrote the moving words to the hymn, “A Parting Hymn We Sing.” This not only contributed to a more complete collection of hymns, but also added an important element to many services to encourage the participants to reflect on what the Lord had done for them.

Bibliography: Robinson, Charles S. Annotations Upon Popular Hymns, Forgotten Books, London, England, 2012, [Original Copyright 1892], pp. 360–361, 426. Shiver, Emmett W. 104 of My Favorite Hymn Stories Volume 2, Springmaid Press, Biscoe, NC, 2008, pp. 10–11.

This hymn and the other 11 featured hymns of this year’s character curriculum are available on CD. The hymns are sung by home educating families to piano accompaniment. Go to store.iblp.org/product/CBCH2.html for more information.

Do we notice areas that are lacking and seek ways to make them complete? Are we investing our time wisely in disciplines that, if otherwise neglected, would diminish our effectiveness for God? Can you say with the hymn writer that you are “complete in Thee”? If you are unsure, share your doubts with your parents and let them tell you how you can be complete in Jesus.

THOROUGHNESS

Thoroughness is knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

Complete in Thee Thee Complete Talmadge J. Bittikofer (1892–1986)

Aaron R. Wolfe (1821–1902) Refrain, James M. Gray (1851–1935)

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1. 2. 3. 4.

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Thy blood hath Thy voice shall Since Thou my A - mong Thy

        

par-don bought for bid the tempt- er por-tion, Lord, wilt cho-sen will I

me, And I am now flee, And I shall stand be, I ask no more, be, At Thy right hand,

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com-plete com-plete com-plete com-plete

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in in in in

Thee. Thee. Thee. Thee.

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Yea, jus - ti - fied! O bless-ed thought! And sanc-ti-fied! Sal-va-tion wrought!

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Thy blood hath par-don bought for me, And glo -ri - fied, I too, shall

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be!

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Com-plete in Thee! no work of mine May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine; Com-plete in Thee! no more shall sin, Thy grace hath conquer'd reign with - in; Com-plete in Thee—each want sup-plied, And no good thing to me de-nied; Dear Sav-iour! when be - fore Thy bar All tribes and tongues assem-bled are,