Season 4 Blog 30
“And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11b-12 NLT
We’re coming into one of my favorite times of the year – an East Coast Canadian fall! The leaves turn beautiful colours and the weather is that “just right” mix of cool and warm. We also celebrate Thanksgiving this month, one of my favorite holidays (all of the yummy food and family experiences without the stress of gift-giving, although I enjoy that too). It certainly seems like the perfect time to practice gratitude and thanksgiving.
There are many studies that talk about the benefits of practicing gratitude. It helps our mental health, physical health, and can even improve our immune system. It creates patterns in our brains that help us cope with life and become resilient. It makes us overall happier people. What a great gift God gave us with gratitude!
Have you ever thought of how generosity goes hand-in-hand with gratitude? Generosity is also a practice that improves our lives. According to one article, “generosity is an important social skill because it helps us to be more empathetic, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and be involved in our communities.” But it doesn’t come to us naturally. As mentioned in this quote, it is a skill, and skills are learned. Our children need to be trained to practice generosity – whether it’s sharing their toys or giving up something they value like food, money, or even time.
Often we need to understand the “why” behind doing something, like practicing generosity. These verses from Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth give us some key reasons. He talks about how they can be a reason for others to give thanks through their generosity. As Paul sends his delegates ahead of him to remind the church to get ready to give generously to their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ (believers in Jerusalem), he points out to the Gentile Christians (Gentile means non-Jewish) that they will accomplish two things: 1. They will meet the needs of those who are suffering and 2. These people will then give thanks to God. In other words, they can be a reason someone else gives thanks or practices gratitude.
It got me thinking how we could also be the reason someone else gives thanks. It seems like the gift that keeps on giving. I know that when someone is generous with me it is very encouraging and makes me want to be generous as well. Add to that the value of gratitude and it seems like a wonderful way to shine the light of Jesus all around.
I’m reminded of the SENT trip I went on last summer with Canadian Baptist Ministries to Guatemala. We spent 3 days at a local school run by one of the churches in the Lake Atitlan area. We had the opportunity to teach some of the classes and I led a devotional time with the teachers each day as well. At the end of our time with them, we gifted each of the teachers a new shirt, a devotional book, as well as a projector for the school. I was very surprised that they also had gifts ready for us. Here is a picture of me with the vice principal. I’m wearing the beautiful shawl they gave me.
They also had a concert for us to thank us for spending time with them and investing in their school (which was part of our fundraising as a team). I was moved when they expressed how much our visit meant to them.
Children from one of the classes singing us a song as part of their thank you to us.
We had gone in with the intention of giving generously to them and found ourselves generously gifted as well.
Here is the rest of what Paul says in this passage in 2 Corinthians 9, “As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (vs 13-15, NLT). This is the cycle of generosity – as we give we find ourselves receiving so that we are spurred on to give even more! I certainly experienced this in Guatemala along with the “deep affection” that was part of our parting prayers for each other.
I think this is something we want our children to experience as well. As parents, how can we cultivate a spirit of generosity in our families? Our children? How can we be the reason that someone else gives thanks to God? How can we be caught up in the cycle of generosity that continues to give and give and give?
First, we want to explain the “why” behind giving. If we have the motivation that we want to give something to get something back, it will backfire on us. We would actually be giving out of selfish motivations and we certainly don’t want to raise children who are on the look-out for what they are going to get out of every gift they give (although this may be a stage they initially move through). So why do we give? Giving is a way of loving others – one of the main things Jesus taught us to do (Matt 22:37-39). In the passage we’re looking at today, the focus of generosity is meeting the needs of others and glorifying God. That takes the attention off of ourselves. So whether the recipient of our generosity actually thanks us or not doesn’t matter – God sees what we do and it is an act of praising him. We can also remember that God is the MOST generous one. He has given us many good gifts. We can never out-give God!
Second, we want to think about what we can give. We can talk with our children about what they have to give – it could be their time, kind and encouraging words, something they made, even some money that they have saved up or earned. Parents, we can talk about what kind of things we give. We can also discuss what we don’t give – what are good boundaries around giving? As Paul discusses in the letter to the Corinthians – it’s not about being compelled to give but giving what we’re willing to (2 Cor 9:7).
Lastly, we can talk about where we can give. What does generosity look like at school? With our friends? At home? In our neighborhood? When is the next birthday celebration? Think together of some things your child could give. We also want to consider, as parents, how we are modeling generosity for our children. If we’re not practicing generosity, we can’t expect our children to do it.
Let’s cultivate generosity in our own lives and in our families. It benefits those who receive it and us as well. It’s a gift that gives many returns, not least of which is glorifying God.
Sarah has been Pastor of Children & Families at The Journey Church for eight years. Her passion is to see families growing in their faith with Jesus together and living it out in their homes, neighborhoods, and schools, as well as being deeply connected with their church family. To find out more about The Journey Church ministries go to onthejourney.ca. To contact Sarah you can email her at sarah@onthejourney.ca.