The Ticket to Teaching Generosity
Bible Verse
“You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” Matthew 25:23
I was about six years old when I won the top prize in an arcade game. While I don't remember the exact game I was playing, I do remember feeling excited as tickets poured out of the machine. What would I get with my tickets? A new stuffed animal? A basketball? There were so many options.
But the parents at this birthday party had different plans for my tickets. Instead of each kid keeping their own winnings, the parents decided to collect them all and evenly divide them among the birthday party guests, allowing everyone to get a similar prize.
I'm sure those parents had good intentions, but at the time, I hated their plan. Generosity and equality are essential biblical values to learn. Still, they’re also some of the hardest to teach young kids living in a culture that often says it’s okay to worry about ourselves first. We learn to earn our own money through our own hard work, and our gifts and talents come through our own work and practice.
The Bible reminds us repeatedly that we should share with one another (Hebrews 13:16 and Acts 4:32, for example). One story that illustrates today’s context especially well is in Matthew 25, known by many as the Parable of the Talents.
This parable reminds us that all of our gifts are from God. And even though he did not give those gifts out equally, he wants us to use our gifts wisely no matter what we have received.
The parable also reminds us that generosity is not just about giving money or possessions—it’s about selflessness and a willingness to share what we have been blessed with. When we teach our children that joyful giving can be an act of worship, we also teach them about empathy, compassion, and gratitude. We help them understand that they have the power to make a positive change in the lives of others, starting right at the age they are today.
Those parents at the birthday party saw an opportunity to teach us the values of generosity and equality. May we, too, find small teachable moments to help our children recognize the joy of giving. By encouraging them to share their blessings with others, we may ignite a desire to make a difference in the world.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Helping Kids Discover Their Gifts.
Brian Clark
Brian Clark is the communications manager for Kids Corner’s parent ministry, ReFrame Ministries. In his role, he writes stories of God’s work around the world through media missions. He also has two young children.
