- Have you ever had to stand up for something that was important to you? Tell us about it. (Be prepared to share your own experience. Answers will vary and may include: I stood up to someone who was bullying my friend; I participated in the March for Life with my family; my class wrote letters to help stop animal cruelty, etc.
According to ABC News, in the past year, almost 5,000 people have died in the U.S. in 2024 from gun violence. In response to these tragedies, many people have begun speaking out and protesting against gun violence. One such group is an organization called Moms Demand Action. Let’s take a look at one of their initiatives to prevent gun violence in Indiana.
Share the following video [2:08]:
Over 130 Indiana Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers call for gun safety
- The moms saw a problem they didn’t like and took a stand to try to change it. What were they risking by trying to unite people against hate? (Answers may include: They could’ve received backlash from people who didn’t like what they were doing; they could’ve lost friendships over their decision to take a stand; an already divided community could have become more divided, etc.)
- What positive changes might happen because of people’s decision to stand up against gun violence? (Some possible answers: Increased gun safety; more people standing up and speaking out; decreased incidences of death, etc.)
- Could just anyone take a stand in this situation that would create the same impact? Why or why not? (People who are involved firsthand can often have more impact than an outsider, but we’ve all been given voices by God to use when other people are being treated unjustly. We can choose to use the voices and influence we have for good.)
- When we come across situations we know aren’t right, how can we take a stand to make them better? (Answers may include: We can talk to people in charge; we can show God’s love to those hurting; we can make our feelings known and follow them up with positive actions, etc.)
Change begins when someone decides to take a stand to make others aware of an injustice. We can stand up for what’s right in one-on-one situations with someone we may disagree with, or we can take on larger issues like bullying, etc. that affect us or people we care about.
Today we’re going to learn about a woman named Esther who was in the position to take on a very large cause—one that meant life or death for millions, including her own. Let’s see whether she stood up for what was right.
