A Cheerful Giver

Caleb and Rebekah came home with several notes in their backpacks this week. Notes about upcoming holiday parties and concerts. Notes about a canned food drive at school. Notes about PTO fundraisers. The list goes on.


However, Rebekah had a note that her brother did not have. The note read: Our class has been given the opportunity to experience giving this holiday season. In an effort to nurture community service, our class will be sponsoring a fourth-grade girl for Christmas….please only give as you can…perhaps you could donate spare change or even $1.00.

Before I finished reading the note aloud to my children, Rebekah had walked over to her allowance jar and dumped out all of the contents. She then asked me to help her count how much she had. I assumed this was to help her determine how much she really wanted to give to her class project. We counted her earnings and I waited to see what would happen…

“Rebekah, are you giving all your money to class?”
“No!”, she replied very sharply.
“Well then why do we need to count it and see how much you have?”

Her answer came back to me in a voice similar to that of the Chipmunk’s Christmas (and very matter-of-factly, I might add.) “So I know how much I have to give God first. Then I can give the rest to the girl who needs stuff for Christmas.”

My heart melted.

She put her 10% in her tithe envelope. I put the remaining amount in an envelope for class--fourfold. The next day, Daddy replaced the money in her allowance jar with a note thanking her for being generous.

It is a great feeling to know that some of the lessons we try to instill into our children are actually getting into their little minds. I am glad that all the Bible stories, Sunday School classes and life lessons are starting to be applied. That my precious children are becoming God-pleasers instead of self-pleasers.

Maybe we can all learn a lesson from my sweet five year old this holiday season and throughout the year. Give all that you have just without the high-pitched squeaky voice.

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor 9:7