Better to Give…
Last night we started a new family tradition. (If we just start it, can I call it a tradition?) Robin and I decided to make some of our extra giving up for grabs and let our boys be a part of the decision processing. We still will give to both our compassion & BEAM Africa child sponsorships and our church. But we set aside $40 from our budget for ‘family fun giving’.
So yesterday afternoon I withdraw 40 $1 bills from my bank and made four envelopes. (I realize the pic is of 32 bills but humor me.) On each envelope I printed off a picture and wrote the name of the options for June. This month, we choose 4 options: helping kids at BEAM Africa, mosquitos nets through Compassion International, Kids against Hunger – Haiti food packs, and helping rescue children from bad guys in Mexico through Camino a Casa.
Before dinner, we saw around the table and I told the boys that Jesus taught us himself that ‘it was better to give than to receive’. I made sure Drew and Jack knew what receive meant by saying ‘it was better to give than to get’. Then I passed out 8 $1 bills to each person (Robin and I played too) and told the boys that they get to decide where we give them. They could put them all in one envelope or 2 in each or however they wanted it.
When we ended, I ask Drew what these all had in common and he said ‘they were all people who were poor’. I said ‘yes but they also are about helping kids – kids like you, Jack and Luke – who are either hungry, or not safe or don’t have easy access to things like doctors when they get sick’. We asked if they wanted to talk to God about these kids but they rather wanted to go play. So Robin and I did.
I am reminded of Matthew 18, where Jesus when asked who was greatest in the Kingdom calls a child forward. A child – often the least in the world – are the greatest, the model, the standard. He said whoever welcomes a child in His name, welcomes Him. Jesus is personified in children. He also warns that whoever causes harm to these children – ones who in our world today are often exploited, taken advantage of, abused, neglected, harmed, overlooked, marginalized – whoever dares to harm them or cause them to sin, well, Jesus doesn’t play. In fact, his description is a rather graphic painful punishment. He also says “Woe to the world because of these things.” Woe to the world you and I live in today for how we have treated children. The woe is not just to the vile offenders but all of us live under their guilt because we allow it to happen. Our world has taken what is honored by Christ – the humility of a child, their trusting souls – and have used it for our twisted evil intents. These kids’ have protective messengers who always see the face of a loving, caring, righteous Father.
… and so do my boys.
