If your class is meeting online, invite students to bring supplies with them to class.
As students file into the classroom, distribute supplies (or invite students to have them ready at home) and have them begin to make a list of people in their lives they go to for advice and guidance. They can write beside each one what makes that person stand out as a trusted confidant. After they’ve had a chance to think and write, ask:
- Who do you go to for guidance in your life? Why? (Let students share their lists; if time is a factor, choose a few volunteers.)
- How do you choose the right person to listen to? (Some possible answers: You choose someone you think is smart and who makes good decisions for themselves; choose someone older; etc.)
Sometimes it can be tricky to know which voices to listen to. How do we really know who’s telling us good information and who isn’t?
In the last couple years, some people have been turning to popular videos for guidance about their “hearing age”.
Recently, a clip featuring a computer-generated voice went viral. When some listeners heard the clip, they heard “Yanny.” When others listened to the clip, they heard “Laurel.” This sparked an internet debate of what was actually being said. No one could agree, yet most people had an opinion, and they were all certain they had the correct answer. Who was right?
I’ll play the following video. Watch the screen and make a note of the “hearing age” listed when or if you stop hearing the sound.
Play the following video for your students, noting your own hearing age (and inviting any other leaders to note theirs as well [2:00]: How Old Are Your Ears ? Hearing Test
Share your own hearing age and whether it was close to your actual age. Invite other leaders to do the same.
- What was your “hearing age”? Was it pretty close to your actual age? (Answers will vary.)
- Do you think this test is a reliable measure of someone’s hearing? Why or why not? (Accept all reasonable responses.)
While this video’s hearing test may provide a general idea of what someone can hear, it is not a replacement for an actual hearing test conducted by an audiologist. Someone who suspects they may be suffering from hearing loss should seek guidance from a doctor to give a correct assessment on the state of their hearing.
We have so many voices in our lives who want to offer us guidance—on what to wear, how to spend our money, what to think, and more. These voices pull us in all different directions and every voice is convinced their way is the best way. How can we know for certain? Which voices can we trust for guidance? None of us want to make a bad decision. So, how do we live life making the right ones?
In today’s lesson we’re going to see how Abraham’s servant dealt with this same dilemma. He was in charge of making an important decision and wanted to make sure he received God’s guidance in the matter. The servant couldn’t get this decision wrong, it was too big. Let’s see how the servant was able to decipher God’s direction from his own and what that means for you and me.
