Free Sunday School Lesson about Honesty and not Telling Lies

Title: Honesty is the Best Policy

Theme: God wants us to always tell the truth.

Key Scripture: Proverbs 12:22 – “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

Objective

By the end of the lesson, children will:

Understand what lying is and why it displeases God.

Learn that telling the truth builds trust and honors God.

Commit to speaking truthfully in their daily lives.

Materials Needed

A Bible

A whiteboard or large paper

Markers or crayons

Props for a short skit (optional)

A small prize or stickers for participation

Lesson Outline

1. Welcome and Opening Prayer (5 minutes)

Greet the children warmly.

Open with a simple prayer:

“Dear God, thank You for bringing us together today. Help us to learn how to be honest and to always tell the truth. Amen.”

2. Icebreaker Activity: Two Truths and a Lie (10 minutes)

Have each child say three statements about themselves—two true and one a lie.

Let the group guess which statement is the lie.

After the game, explain:

“Did you notice how hard it was to figure out the lie? Lying can make it hard for others to trust us. That’s why God wants us to always be truthful.”

3. Bible Story: Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11) (10 minutes)

Read or paraphrase the story in a child-friendly way.

Highlight:

Ananias and Sapphira lied about their offering.

Their lie showed they cared more about what people thought than about being honest with God.

God takes lying seriously because He values truth.

4. Discussion Questions (10 minutes)

What happened when Ananias and Sapphira lied?

How do you feel when someone lies to you?

Why is it important to tell the truth, even if it’s hard?

5. Object Lesson: The “Sticky Lie” (10 minutes)

Materials: Clear tape

Stick a piece of tape on a child’s hand.

Explain: “This tape is like a lie. At first, it seems small and easy to handle.”

Keep adding more tape: “But the more lies we tell, the harder it is to get free from them.”

Try to pull the tape off: “See how sticky it is? Lies can trap us, but telling the truth keeps us free.”

6. Activity: Truth vs. Lies Sorting Game (10 minutes)

Materials: Flashcards with scenarios (e.g., “I broke a vase and said my sister did it” or “I told my teacher I didn’t finish my homework because I forgot”).

Have the children sort the cards into two categories: Truth and Lies.

Discuss the consequences of each action.

7. Memory Verse Practice (5 minutes)

Write Proverbs 12:22 on the board: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

Have the children repeat it several times with hand motions:

“Lord detests” – Shake head “no.”

“Lying lips” – Cover mouth.

“Delights in people” – Point to heaven and smile.

“Who are trustworthy” – Place hand on heart.

8. Closing Skit: Choosing to Be Honest (10 minutes)

Act out a short skit where a child has to decide whether to lie or tell the truth about breaking a toy.

Pause and ask the group: “What should they do?”

Show the character choosing honesty and the positive outcome.

Closing Prayer and Commitment (5 minutes)

Pray together:

“Dear God, thank You for teaching us about honesty. Help us to always tell the truth and trust in You. Amen.”

Encourage each child to share one way they will practice honesty this week.

Optional Craft: “Truthful Hearts”

Provide heart-shaped cutouts.

Let the children write or draw ways they can tell the truth.

Decorate the hearts with stickers or glitter.