Week 9- The Effects of Integrity

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

   1 When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him, “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

   4 “As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.”

   6 “But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?'’ 9 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.’”

I Kings 9:1-9

What does this passage have to say about integrity?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) Why does God (in verse 3) grant Solomon’s request?  After all, verse 1 tells us that Solomon had “achieved all he desired to do,” and very often our desires cause us to turn away from God.  Why, then, does God grant such blessing?  What does this imply about Solomon’s desires?

2) What is promised to Solomon, if he will walk in integrity (v. 5-6)?  You may not have a throne, but what difference might your integrity make on future generations?  If your athletic and team habits demonstrate integrity, what impact might that make upon your team?  What would it mean for God to establish a royal throne in the lives of your teammates?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) What motivates your goals?  When you do what you desire, are you doing what God desires?  If not, what does motivate your goals?

4) What practical instruction does God give to Solomon (v. 4), to help him live with integrity?  If you desire to “observe [God’s] laws and decrees,” what must you first do?  Do you consistently spend time in Scripture?

5) What motivates your athletic goals?  When you pursue them, are you doing what God desires?  Do you know what God desires for you, in regard to your life as an athlete?  Do you read Scripture and seek to apply it to your athletic goals and challenges?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

6) What is at stake, if you do not walk in integrity (v. 6-9)?  Do you want to bring that consequence upon your children?  If, by your sinful nature, you have forsaken God and embraced other gods (goals, ambitions, priorities, lifestyle), is there any hope for you?  Can you still avoid this destiny of disaster?  (Remember...is your integrity determined by your own actions?  Or is there another means by which you can be made right and gain integrity?)

7) What legacy will your team leave for future teams, or for your school?  Do the habits of your team demonstrate “integrity of heart and uprightness” (v. 4), or have you “embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them” (v. 9)?  How could the school be affected by your team’s lack of integrity?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of integrity, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about integrity this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about integrity you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about integrity this week...What does an athlete of integrity do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of an athlete of integrity, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “athlete of integrity”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of integrity — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding integrity or anything else), and pray together.