Cultivating Charity

The most difficult thing for a selfish heart is to give, sacrifice, share, serve, and live for others. But it is precisely in selflessness and self-denial that the beauty and power of the Gospel lies. What feelings do rich people evoke in you who don't hide their greed and pride? Who are ready to strip you bare and even plunge you into lifelong unpayable debt to satisfy their self-interest? I think that at best you would pity them or they would disgust you. But they too need a Savior and want you to show them Jesus.

And would you want your children to be greedy people who would wait for your death to receive your property and savings, on which they could have some fun?

What does Jesus feel now, watching His children who say: "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"? What will the Lord answer to such statements? I think it is very sad for Him to see such a condition, in which they don't even know how miserable, pitiable, poor, blind and naked they are. But He loves us and offers a way out of such a condition.

What will you write on the clean sheet of paper that the Lord will hand you in the form of your child's developing character? Will you ask Heaven for your son to be greedy, envious, evil and disobedient? Will you make sure that these qualities successfully develop in your child and that no good can knock him off this path? I think that no effort is needed to develop such a character. To turn on darkness, no special switch is needed, it's enough to remove the source of light and impenetrable darkness will surround you.

If I decide that my child should somehow learn some expected virtues on his own, then most likely I will be surprised that an incorrigible egoist has appeared in my family, who thinks only of himself and is not interested in the opinions and needs of others.

When only one child grows up in a family, he gets used to all parental love being directed at him, and his parents belonging only to him, and as a rule, it is in his father and mother that he sees those friends with whom he can play, undertake something and learn something. And in families where there are two or more children, it's easier for parents to occupy their household members in games with each other, and at this time calmly solve their own issues.

Charity is a sincere desire to help someone, to serve someone, to share something and to do something good, expecting nothing in return. It begins where there are two or more people and can be material, emotional or spiritual support.

God has put something into selflessness that a person can experience only while being in this state. Charity is not some kind of event, along with other virtues, but it is the essence and character of God. He, being above and stronger than all, continuously serves all His creation, giving and sustaining the life of everything. And the Lord desires to reveal this trait of His character to us and restore it in us.

What is easier to do: write a beautiful life plan on a clean sheet of paper and live by it, or make corrections and additions to a list of everything necessary and unnecessary, crossing out and painting over what you don't like?

Parents who have small children have more prospects to instill the concept of charity in their child's heart and help him develop these skills. Although the young being will resist such arbitrariness somewhere, but personal example and adult support will very quickly teach him such a life, and God will apply His hand and write His laws of love and service in the young heart.

Personal example of caring for others, stories about what you did and whom you helped, create in the child's consciousness a certain image of the right attitude toward others.

It's important to give explanations for your actions and tell about how much joy serving the needs of others brings, how it helps people, how they become happier and how it makes you happy.

These stories should echo with biblical truths and form in the child an understanding of God's plan regarding the needs of this world.

Virtue can be multifaceted, touching both physical needs and satisfying people's emotional needs. A child can be taught that you don't need to wait for a person to fall into need and then help him, or plan something big and great, but you can gladden the heart with small signs of attention, small participation in his needs. In serving others, it's not the volume or result that's important, but the motive with which this service is performed.

It's important to teach a child to empathize with others, so that he can understand what others feel through his own feelings. Tell about how you sympathize with someone and how it hurts you when someone has something hurting. By developing empathy in this way, you will teach the child to notice the needs of others and feel their mood, and the Lord will suggest what and how can be done.

Not all help should be material. A kind word from a loving and compassionate heart can help a sufferer look at his problem differently and find a better way out and solution.

Encourage children for participation in good deeds, praise them for their first attempts at self-denial, let them rejoice that you like such behavior and attitude toward the needs of others. Together think up what can be done for the good of others and what can be given, and then let them act.

Inspire the child to independently choose to help someone. Listen to his plans and encourage every good idea.

It's important in virtue to form the right motivation and convey to consciousness that one should serve not for praise or recognition from others, not for glory and respect, but because that's how Jesus lived and that sincere motive is more pleasing to God and beneficial for the heart than the opinion of others.

The result of good deeds very strongly affects the child's hormonal system and brings a feeling of joy and pleasure, which strengthens in consciousness the benefit from such activities.

It's good when charity becomes a daily practice, and not some good deed once a month. Offer various options, from good deeds to a simple smile and good wish.

When a child has his own personal finances, he must be taught to set aside money to help others, respond to calls for donations and give away forever as much as his heart will suggest. And even if your child makes a mistake and gives everything not where you consider it right, then first find out what motive moved him and why he decided so, and don't scold him for generosity and naivety. Greed will come by itself if you don't practice selflessness.

It's important to convince the child that God especially loves and blesses those who do good with all their heart. That money is not everything that can be had in this world. And let Christ's example of sacrifice always be that reference point and standard from which to take example.

Don't forget to teach that it is God who gives us everything necessary and to thank the Creator for every opportunity to serve other people.

1. Please read Titus 3:14; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Luke 3:11; 6:38; Prov. 11:24-25; 19:7; 21:13; 28:27; Matt. 6:3-4; 25:40; 1 John 3:17-18; Gal. 6:9-10; Rev. 3:17-18, in light of this chapter.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

3. What did you understand from this chapter?

4. What does charity mean from a biblical point of view?

5. How do you think Jesus feels watching greedy people?

6. Why is it important to show an example of sacrifice in your family to your children?

7. What biblical stories about sacrifice would you tell your children?

8. How to convince a child that good deeds are joy, not obligation?

9. How to motivate a child to help others sincerely, without expecting praise?

10. Why is it important for charity to become part of daily practice?

11. Why is it important to talk about how God blesses generous people?

12. How to help a child form the right attitude toward money and donations?

13. How to teach a child to rejoice for others and their successes?

14. Why is it important to combine spiritual education with practical manifestations of charity?