Compare two givers. The first one thinks, “I hope you understand how much it cost me to get this.” The other thinks, “This isn’t much but it’s all I had and thought you’d really like it.” Who would you rather receive a gift from? Why? Which giver are you most like? To be generous doesn’t mean to give the coolest gift or throw the biggest party. Generosity starts in your heart and is reflected not in the size of your gift but in the why behind it.
GENEROSITY: Joyfully Sharing What God Has Given You!
MEMORY VERSE: “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” PROVERBS 11:25 NLT
This Week’s Finish Line: Giving Generously Isn't About How Much You Give, It's About Your Heart
Jesus calls us to
be generous to those around us, but He also knows that our human nature wants to
be praised and applauded for the good things we do. When He taught about giving
in Matthew 6 He reminded the people that instead of telling everyone how
amazing they were when they gave, they should give in secret not expecting
anything in return. In Mark 12 Jesus points out one poor widow to His disciples
as an example of true generosity. She didn’t have much but she gave everything
she had because of her faith in the Lord.
Family Questions:
- In Matthew 6:1-4, what two different kinds of people did Jesus describe?
- Why did Jesus commend the widow in Mark 12:41-44 even though her gift was so much smaller than everyone else’s?
- What are some fun ways you and your family have been able to share joyfully with others?
- What is one way you can practice being generous with a willing heart over this holiday season?
Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:
* Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.
Teacher: Operation Christmas Child
Watermark will be collecting packed boxes for O.C.C. on December 6th and 13th. This is a great way to teach your kids about generosity in the way you bless others by sharing what God has given you. Operation Christmas Child shares the Gospel with kids around the world using simple Christmas gifts given by families who want to share the love of Christ. To learn more go to this link.
Friend: Secret Servant
Play a week long game of secret servant where you are generous with the others in your family while trying to do it secretly. You could draw names in your family and spend the rest of the week being secretly generous with the person you drew, or try to be a secret servant to everyone in your family. Use this to reinforce Matthew 6:1-4.
Counselor: Generosity is From the Heart.
Read Mark 12:41-44 as a family. Ask your kids why Jesus considered the widows gift to be so generous. How does that challenge you with the way that you are generous? Talk about ways you want to begin being more generous.
Coach: Sharing God's Heart with Others.
Create a family challenge to look for ways to meet a need of someone outside of your family everyday. Example: Giving a class mate a pencil, picking up after someone, or being a friend to someone who may be sitting alone. Share the stories of how God used you to show His generous heart to others at the end of the day.
Prayer
Thank God for caring more about your heart than what you give. Ask Him to help you be generous without expecting anything in return, including praise and respect. Thank Him for the people who have shared joyfully with you.
Looking Ahead
Next week we will diving into verses that help us understand what we believe and why we believe it.
Image via Flickr Creative Commons