Kids Blog

Generosity is one of the key components of our Christian faith. God wants his children to reflect His character and model His acts of generosity. 1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” It is such a simple, yet profound, life-changing act that has a far-reaching impact. There is a multitude of passages in the Bible where we are called to give generously of our time, money, energy, and love. Anyone can be generous. From a young child all the way to an elderly adult, being generous does not require a whole lot. It is simply about being kind and caring, seeing a need, and filling that need, and being readily available for someone less fortunate than you. That is it. You give even when no one is looking. You give even when you don’t have to. You give that little extra that you have to someone who doesn’t have as much. At its core, being generous is about treating others with respect, compassion, and worth, just like Jesus did. Here are some ways that you can teach your children the importance of generosity.

Being Generous with Your Money

Show your children that they don’t have to donate a huge sum of money; every little bit helps. They can drop off some coins in the tithe plate at church or put a couple of dollar bills in the tip jar at a restaurant. Use the story of the widow in Luke 21:1 – 4 to show your children the importance that God places on generosity.

“As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘Truly, I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” – Luke 21:1 – 4.

Jesus sees us when we give. While he notices how much we give, he is far more interested in the motive and heart behind the act of giving rather than how much is given. God loves a cheerful giver. Being generous is also powerful because it’s costly. The value of the gift or donation is determined by what it costs the giver. If you simply give excess stuff or money, it costs you nothing. However, the widow’s gift was so valuable because it cost her everything.

Being Generous with Your Time

One of the most important things you can teach your child about generosity is that it is not always about what you have financially. Next to money, and maybe even above it, time is the most precious commodity that we have. Show your children that they can be giving with their time by looking for ways to help their church, family and friends, and the general community.

Some examples of giving of your time include:

• Spending time with friends who are having a hard time and listening to and supporting them
• Writing cards and letters to people in hospitals or soldiers overseas
• Volunteering at a charity or non-profit organization
• Organizing a food drive for people less fortunate

Philippians 2: 5 -7 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

Being Generous with Your Possessions

Another way to bless those around you is by giving up your material possessions. More than ever before, people in our world are accumulating stuff. If we take a step back and ask ourselves honestly, “How much of this do I really need?”, we find that we can bless those around you who have very little by donating your excess goods to them.

Some examples of donating items would be:

• Donate any books that have not been read in a while to your local library, Goodwill, or Salvation Army
• Go through your closet and take clothes that haven’t be worn in over a year to a charity store or give them to friends and family
• Instead of throwing away unwanted items, take them to a resale shop or non-profit organization that is in need of them

Luke 12:33 says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”

Weekly Challenge

This week brainstorm some ideas that your family can be generous this Christmas season. One way you can practice generosity is through our annual Three Trees event. This wonderful event is a great way to bless our community with some Christmas cheer and the message of HOPE. There are plenty of ways that you can be a part of the event including buying toys and gift cards, wrapping presents, praying for the families, and serving at Three Trees on December 13^th. For more information, go to www.theheights.org/threetrees