How to Teach Kids to Give?

Have you ever heard the story of the Blessed Giver?

There once were two young men who lived in a village. The village had begun many generations ago by the old man who lived by the great stone. The old man watched over the villagers and only asked that each of them bring him one-tenth of their crops that he may bless them and bless others with it.

The young men had grown up and it was time for both to move out of their parent’s homes. They both bought their homes and began living in them. They started their crop and began raising their own sheep and cattle.

When it was harvest time, both young men brought some of their crops and some of their cattle to the old man. The old man greeted the first young man. The young man greeted the old man and he lay down the crop and cattle he had brought the old man.

The old man was impressed. The first young man had brought the best of everything he had. He had brought his best corn, best fruits and vegetables and one of his finest cattle.

“You shall receive much blessing,” the old man said. “More importantly, many others will be blessed because of you.” The young man smiled and went home.

The second young man walked up. The old man greeted him and he greeted the old man. He handed over the crop and cattle he had brought the old man.

The old man looked over the crop and the cattle. Although it was plentiful, the young man had brought the old man some of his lesser crop that looked old and unappealing. He had brought a cattle that looked unhealthy and scraggly. The old man accepted the offering yet with disgust and anger.

“You, my son, have chosen not to bring me your best,” the old man said. “Therefore you will not receive my blessing. You have chosen to care for yourself, therefore I shall allow you to take care for yourself.”

The young man was angry by the old man’s response and went on his way.

The first young man had an amazing season. He grew the finest crop in the entire village. The fruit and vegetables were large and healthy. His cattle and sheep produced many babies. They ate well and were fattened nicely. With the extra crop and cattle the young man was able to be further generous among the other villagers and grew many friendships. He also was able to earn large amounts of money which allowed him to become wealthy over the years.

Most importantly, the young man was able to see the families who received a blessing as the old man would distribute the offerings that he brought. Families would be fed and cared for from his generous offerings. And the more generous the young man was in his offerings, the more the old man would promise blessings in his life.

Eventually the young man would marry, have many beautiful, healthy children and become well-known in the land.

The second young man would have poor crops for years to come. Bugs would infest the land. Robbers would steal crops that grew. The cattle and sheep produced very little. What was born would grow to be scraggly and unappealing. Eventually most of his cattle would die off.

At first the young man would bring his poor offerings to the old man yet as the years went on, he would eventually bring nothing, as he would use every dollar he earned for himself.

This young man married, yet an unhappy marriage it would be. His wife was never able to have children for him.

What very different lives the two men would live – one a generous soul who trusted, grew, loved others and grew even more in generosity. He in return would receive many blessings. The other young man whose heart would not trust and did not grow. He would not love as strongly and his generosity was lacking. In return, no blessings were sent his way.

The Mysteries of Tithing

I do not share this short story to offend or to misinterpret tithing or to produce falsehoods and lies. I use it as a mild example of a tiny aspect of what tithe looks like.

I believe the scope of tithing is most baffling to me in one sense yet simple in another and that as we are unable to truly understand or know or see the unseen realm – the spiritual realm – what is spoken in the bible of tithing feels lacking, it is merely difficult as physical beings to take this topic and put it into a physical example.

However, I always like to produce stories that perhaps my own children may use to better understand such important topics and especially commands from God.

I don’t believe that the bible gives any indication of not being welcomed into heaven as a result of not tithing, nor will I say that a person’s life is quite as extreme as the giver and the non-giver as shown above. However, the importance of the perspective and understanding of what I believe God is attempting to teach us as he says in Malachi 3:10:

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord.

I don’t want to repeat what so many writers have done before in explaining in depth what this verse means. I think we could study it for years and continue to learn and grow from it and still have questions about its implications and meaning.

Ultimately I am here to simplify the message I believe we need to pass on to our children in respect to tithing.

It Begins With God

#1 – All we have comes from God – Phillipians 4 says:

And my God will supply every need… – Phillippians 4:19 ESV

Our children NEED to desperately understand that this thing called money, comes FROM God. EVERYTHING comes from God and money is just one of those things. It will change perspectives entirely when we hold the money, the fruits of our labor in our hands and know and begin with this truth. Which ties into stewardship as I spoke on in my previous blog, How to Raise Children to be Good Stewards of their Money.

#2 – Tithing comes first

Proverbs 3:9 says:

Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first fruits of your produce.

When we get money the VERY first thing we do is give. Before ANYTHING else is paid or bought. Teach it young! It is WAY easier to learn to give $.10 of a dollar than $10,000 from $100,000.

#3 – Tithing results in change

Let’s teach our children how God uses tithing to change us and grow us.

Tithing, as the bible explains, begins with trust and faith and leads to change, growth, an expression of love, an expression of generosity and results in blessings both in this physical world and the spiritual world. Again, seen by Malachi 3:10-12.

As parents I think we set our children up in stronger faith and hope when they are firm in knowing and understanding the results of trusting God when He says, You will bring me 10% of your first fruits – you will bring me the best you have to offer.

I will end by explaining myself in two areas that I believe are important.

#1 – I am not legalistic about tithe. I don’t believe that the gates of heaven are closed to us if we don’t tithe

#2 – I believe very strongly that tithing is a heart thing. I DO NOT like to tithe a strictly set amount without extensive prayer over what God wants me to tithe and prayer over Him blessing that money. I seek knowing that He wants me to tithe 10%, perhaps more, perhaps less depending on what He shares with my heart as I pray.

Application in Action:

#1 – Kids Money and God believes that the foundation of our spending is, Give, Save, Spend. With that being said, whenever you give your child their commissions for the work they did – see my blog This One Thing Will Make Your Kids Money Smart, where I explain the difference between allowance and commission. Sit with them each time and teach them to give their first fruits, 10% and hold into their Give account until you can bring it to church.

#2 – Pray before and after. Teach your children to sit and pray and to seek God’s heart both before and after setting aside the tithe. Pray that Jesus will speak to their hearts on how much to give that month. Imagine if your child learned a generous and trusting heart to say one month, I want to give more!

Secondly, after they set aside their tithe or perhaps after they have brought their tithe to church, pray! Pray for a blessing over the money they are giving. Pray that others will be blessed. Pray that the church will be blessed. Pray that the kingdom will be blessed.

#3 – Teach your children to pay attention for blessings they may receive. This one seems difficult and obviously we may never know which blessing is a result of tithing or God just being the amazing God He is. But to pay attention and to be on the lookout, what a gift we can teach our children!

If you enjoyed this blog, be sure to checkout Why We are Raising Kids to be ‘Slaves to the lender.’

Also, need a bedtime story to share with your children about money? Check out my blog Episode 1: The Toy and the Slave

Featured Image: Giving Hands Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Bible Reference: Malachi 3:10-12

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:19 ESV

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:9 ESV