An opportunity to support a local family arose this week. So we put a little jar in my classroom for the kids to bring spare change.
The class didn't know what the jar was yet, and I got to explain the situation to them on Monday morning.
A little girl in China is waiting for her forever family and that family needs a large sum to be able to go get her!
I let the kids know that they could bring their spare change or any other money of theirs that they wanted to give (with their parent's permission, of course!).
We talked about how thankful we were to have our own families who love and take care of us. We talked about the fact that no matter how many people in this world love you, or if there is no one that loves you... God always loves you!
Then we were back on the subject of money...
Why did they need money? How much did they need? Why should we give? And on it went...
One little girl made this comment: "I'm not giving a single penny of my money. It's mine, why would I give it away?"
How often do we think like this?
I hope it's not very often as we grow in our relationship with Christ! But it may still show up in our hearts for a split second every now and then.
So we talked about God's generosity with us. That "our money" is never ours... rather it's ALL God's and He just lets us keep some of it; to be good stewards of that money.
She wasn't convinced.
I didn't want to guilt trip a five year old into giving away her money if she didn't feel led! But I also didn't want to miss a teaching opportunity.
So I told them that not everyone feels led to give to every single thing, but that we need to pray about what God wants us to do.
That's what we did. We prayed that God would reach each heart, mine included, and burden each of us with His will in this situation.
* * * * * *
Fast forward to that evening when I get a text from her mother asking why her child wants to give away ALL her money.
I told her about the jar and asked her to make sure that I hadn't guilt-tripped her into generosity.
She assured me that she had checked and her daughter really wanted to give it all.
So in she marched in the next day with all the money she had to her name.
$62.58
She showed not a moment of remorse or regret over her decision. She was truly thrilled to be used by God to help this little girl reach her forever family.
What a blessing.
I pray that I am always so joyful in my giving.
Another little girl brought the $5 that she had received the night before for losing her first tooth. I don't know that I would have been willing to part with that much money at five.
What an inspiration they are!
I am thankful that I am being used by my Heavenly Father for the betterment of those around me. May it always be so.
I am thankful that He is gentle with me when I am not immediately willing to follow His will.
I am thankful that those moments are getting further and further apart!
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