Session 8: Valued
Suggested Week of Use: January 19, 2020
Core Passage: Deuteronomy 5:17; 19:4-13
News Story Summary
In December 2019, the non-profit Oxfam released statistics about the wealthiest people in the world. According to the numbers:
- The richest person in the world is Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is $114 billion.
- The world’s 26 richest billionaires net worth is greater than the combined net worth of the poorest 3.8 billion people in the world.
- The world’s 500 richest people grew their wealth by 25% in 2019.
Oxfam released the study to highlight the widening gap between the world’s richest and poorest citizens.
(For more on this story, search the Internet using the term “26 richest people in the world”)
Focus Attention
To replace the Discuss idea under Focus Attention, begin the group time by writing the following on a large sheet of paper: The world’s 26 richest people’s combined net worth is greater than the combined net worth of the poorest 3.8 billion people. As adults arrive, invite adults to debate the truthfulness of the statement.
After most have arrived, share a summary of the news story. Ask: Based on these terms, do the world’s richest billionaires have more worth than the world’s poorest people? Why or why not? How do we determine a person’s worth? Emphasize that people place value on others at many times by using temporal measurements. Note that today’s study focuses on the value of all human life including the unborn. Challenge the group to consider the measurements they use to evaluate the value of a person during today’s study in what they discover today. Complete the step beginning with the Summarize idea.
Summarize and Challenge
To supplement the Review idea under Summarize and Challenge, remind the group of the news report about the world’s wealthiest people. Lead the group to discuss how the report relates to how we might assign value to a person. Ask: Based on our discussion today, would you say you value all human life equally? How has our society shaped the way we think about people? Lead the group to review the bulleted statements under Apply the Text, discussing how each statement supports the value of all human life. Complete the step as written.