Participating in God’s Blessings Through Generosity
November is National Gratitude Month. As you think about what you’re thankful for, your heart is naturally preparing for generosity — because generosity is born out of thankfulness. It’s recognizing how much God has given to us and we’re responding accordingly! In fact, living this out is how we truly experience God. Don’t we want that for our children? Of course we do — we don’t want them to miss out on God’s blessings! The act of generosity is a learned skill, so we must intentionally teach our children what this looks like and how to pour God’s blessings out to others.
In this blog, we chat with the CEO of Bible2School, Kori Pennypacker, about what this looks like in action and how to teach this to children. In addition to being a Mom of 3, Kori has over 20 years of experience in Children’s Ministry and has a true passion for the importance of spiritual training for elementary age children. Let’s dive in!
Why do you think it’s so important to teach generosity to children?
Teaching kids to give is a very important life lesson. We must teach them to humbly give their time, talent, and treasure — which ultimately shows their thankfulness of what God has given them. It’s important that we teach them that their blessings are not only for them, but they can also overflow to others. In fact, this is what God instructs us to do.
Ok, so HOW do we teach generosity to children?
First, it’s important to set an example and encourage your children to give alongside you.
Pay attention to who has a need and discuss this with your children by pointing out ways you can help. Say, “Let’s go help our elderly neighbor rake her leaves today!” Or, get your kids involved even more and ask “What do you think that person needs?” or “What would be a blessing to them?” You might even be surprised by their answer! Remember, God already has good works prepared for our children! It’s our joy to watch passions unfold and spark something in our child’s heart that will overflow to others!
Can you share an example of when you saw this done well?
About 12 years ago when I first got involved in Bible2School, we had a program in one of the city schools in Lancaster, PA. Our volunteers quickly noticed that the playground didn’t have a fence, which caused all of the balls to roll out into the busy street. This, of course, was also very unsafe as anyone could enter or leave the playground. We inquired about a playground fence, and the city said that it was a low priority. So, the volunteers and their children raised money for a new playground fence to be installed! The school, the students, and their parents were thrilled! This was generosity, and the love of God, being shown and felt tangibly. All were blessed!
From your experience, what kinds of things do generous people have in common?
There are two things they have in common. First, they are focused on loving others with what they have. This is such a beautiful picture of us bringing what we have to God, our Heavenly Father. Secondly, they desire to participate in God’s blessing for others. They don’t want to miss this blessing!
How can someone show their support to Bible2School?
There are many ways you can support the mission of Bible2School! We are always looking for volunteers, which is a great way to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You can make an impact in your community by making a donation to our program. On November 29, 2022, we are participating in GivingTuesday, which is a global generosity movement. You can share our website with family and friends who are looking for a great resource. If you’re interested in registering your child for our program but you don’t see one in your area, perhaps you want to have a conversation about how to bring Bible2School to your community.
For more information on this topic, check out our blog How To Teach Your Kids to Be Good Stewards.
Relevant Bible Verses
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
– Matthew 6:21
“For God loves a cheerful giver.”
– 2 Corinthians 9:7
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