Give With a Willing Heart
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
Memory Verse
Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. (CEV)
Have you ever been empty-handed when the offering plate comes? You want to put some money in, but you don’t have any. Perhaps on a field trip, a friend didn’t bring enough money for lunch; you wanted to help but felt you didn’t have much money either. As a kid, you don’t have a job that pays you loads of cash. So, how can you give?
One day in the temple, Jesus pointed out a poor widow to his disciples to help them understand what true giving meant (Luke 21:1-4). Some rich people made a show of giving lots of money, but they actually gave only a small part of what they owned. The woman gave only two small coins. Jesus said that she’d actually given more than all the others, because she had given all that she had.
Jesus doesn’t expect us to give everything away, but he does want us to give sacrificially—not just our leftovers. How? Giving sacrificially can sometimes feel like you’re giving too much. If you’ve earned some money, for example, you can share part of it with your church. Ask God how much. And then ask God to bless what you give. You don’t always have to give money. For your birthday, maybe ask for donations of toys or clothes instead of gifts for yourself. Then donate them to families in need. You can give in smaller ways, right at home. Give a favorite toy to a younger sibling or give your turn to choose a movie to someone else.
It’s not the amount you give that matters, but that you give because you love the Lord and not because you feel like you have to give. Once you begin looking for ways to give, you will find many opportunities!
Prayer
God, thank you for all the things you have given me. Please help me to be a cheerful giver and give with all my heart. Amen.Related Resources
Lisa VanderKuip
Lisa VanderKuip is a Learning Resource Teacher in Ontario, Canada. Each day, she enjoys sharing her love of reading with her students. One of her greatest joys is seeing kids who are struggling unlock the reading code. In her spare time, Lisa loves to golf with her husband and two grown children.