After watching the Super Bowl, the Olympics, or a sports competition, it’s easy to try to fit athletes into a list of first, second, and third place. But God does not fit into any other category or list! He isn’t merely Someone to put on a podium; He’s in a class all by Himself.  

Write the word HOLY on the whiteboard and draw a large circle around the word. (If your class is meeting online, you can type HOLY at the top of a screen-shared document and keep a list of words underneath.) Ask students to think of other words that relate to the word “holy,” and as they share them, write these words all around the original circle: faultless, clean, pure, perfect, divine. When you’re done writing related words, discuss these questions together as a group:

• It’s hard to imagine God as being truly unique, perfect, and pure, but He is higher than anything or any person. If that’s true of God, what can we do to honor Him? (We should treat His name with reverence, show respect during worship, obey His commandments, etc.)
• Many religions treat their gods as sacred and holy. Are they all equal? (It’s important not to disrespect or laugh at others’ beliefs, but the Bible teaches that there is only one God and His Son, Jesus Christ, is the only way to salvation.) 
• What are some practical ways we can treat God as holy in our everyday life? (We can avoid using His name casually. We can turn our phones off during worship and prayer. We can take care of our Bibles. We can close our eyes during prayer and focus on His character.)

When we think of the priorities of our daily life, it’s easy to want to make a list of important things—and then place God somewhere in the mix. But instead of thinking of God in those terms, we should let Him have an exclusive place in our life.

Because holiness is a word more familiar to previous generations, challenge your students to take time this week to interview an older believer, grandparent, Sunday school teacher, or other “seasoned” Christian. Have them ask that person about God’s holiness and be ready to share their findings with the class next week.

Consider ending your class time with quiet, individual prayer.