Raising Generous Kids in a Greedy World

How do you raise your children to be generous? Three thoughts:

First, you have to teach them to be generous. There are exceptions. Some people are given the spiritual gift of sharing what they have. Most, however, need to be taught. They need to be raised in a family that practices sharing. They need to see examples of generous people. They need to be challenged to give.

Second, you have to show them that you don’t have to be rich to be generous. Let them learn that giving is not a matter of passing along the leftovers once all your needs and desires have been satisfied. Let them see that giving is a matter of priorities.

Third, you need to let them discover that being generous is fun. Let them see what Paul meant when he said, “God loves a cheerful giver” and what Jesus meant when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The best motivation is not “should” or “have to” or “ought to.” The best motivation is that giving is fun.

In our sermon this Sunday we will talk about raising generous kids in a greedy world.