Virtuous Woman - ExcellenceSample

Faith

Character Goal: Faith is having a confident belief in the truth, value, and trustworthiness of God regardless of our circumstances.

Biblical Character: A Widow

Scripture Readings: 1 Kings 17

Discussion Questions:

• What did Elijah proclaim to Ahab about the rain?
• What did God instruct Elijah to do? How did Elijah respond to these instructions? What does this tell us about Elijah’s faith?
• How did God care for Elijah during this time? What does this tell us about God?
• After some time passed, what happened to the brook? What does this tell us about God?
• After the brook dried up, did God stop providing for Elijah?
• As an athlete, friend, sister, daughter, etc., what difficult circumstances do you currently face that give you an opportunity to place your faith in God’s provision?
• How did God say He would continue to provide for Elijah?
• Describe the widow’s situation.
• What did she assume would happen to them after the meal she was preparing?
• What did Elijah tell the woman to do? What did this require of the woman? What is the one thing that pleases God? (Read Hebrews 11:6)
• How did the woman respond to the prophet Elijah’s instructions? What does this tell us about what she believed about God?
• What happened with the woman’s resources? What does this tell us about God? (v. 16)
• What things are the same about God’s provision at the brook and God’s provision through the widow? What is different?
• What did God require of both Elijah and the woman in order to experience His provision?
• What happened “Some time later…” (v. 17)? How did the first miracle with the oil prepare both Elijah and the widow to experience an even greater miracle in the restoration of life the boy? What does this tell us about God?
• What does this story teach you about God? Women? How can you apply these truths to your life?
• What is one thing I learned from this story that I can apply to my life before the next lesson?

Core Truths:

• God requires faith in order that we might experience blessing in our life.
• Faith and obedience go hand‑in‑hand.
• God asks us to trust in Him as provider rather than trusting in what He provides.

Training for Godliness:

Did Elijah and the widow put their faith in what God provided (brook, raven, bread) or in God alone? As a female athlete, do you put your faith in the talent you possess or in God who has given that talent to you? What is the difference between putting your faith in your talent and putting your faith in God? God alone. When we put our faith in our own ability, it becomes about us. When we put our faith in God as the one who has provided our talent, we recognize it should be used to glorify Him.

Memory Verse: “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord, will be praised.” - Proverbs 31:30