Don’t you just love being rich? Every day you get to put
shoes on your kids feet as you send them off to school to get an education that
many children around the world cannot afford. Every day you eat food that you
didn’t have to dig out of a dumpster. Every day you get to drink as much clean
water as you want. Every day you get into a vehicle to travel from point A to
point B. Every day you can wear a different outfit… for how many days
running????
We are truly rich, monetarily speaking, compared to most of
the world. If your combined family income is $44,000 a year you are in the top
1% in the world. That may not feel rich to you, but compared to most of the
world, you are living in the lap of luxury! Growing accustomed to having what
we need at all times and what we want most of the time is causing an epidemic
of entitlement with our children and grandchildren.
How do we live in America, provide for our families and NOT
raise children that expect everything to be handed to them? Maybe it begins
with letting them see the rest of the world. Don’t shelter them from the needs
of others. Allow them to make the choice to give to others. Choose a charity
and support it as a family. Be willing to make sacrifices, even if it is
sticking a frozen pizza into the oven rather than having one delivered….wearing knockoffs instead of Nike...or
getting water at a restaurant rather than soft drinks…or settling for only a
few new outfits when school starts…or having less gifts under the tree. Make
the kids aware of the savings THEN TAKE THAT SAVINGS AND INVEST IT IN THE LIFE
OF SOMEONE IN NEED!
I know a little girl who, on her 11th birthday,
asked for anyone who intended to buy her a gift, to just give her the cash they
would have spent so that she could give it to an orphanage in Guatemala. She is
learning to live with a world view rather than looking at herself as the center
of the stage.
I heard a father say that he is considering forgoing the
traditional family vacation and rather take his kids to a third world country
to open their hearts to the needs of the world.
I know of a father that gives all his children a mission
trip with him as a graduation gift. What a great way to prepare them for all
they will experience in college in the coming years.
I know of a family who gives small Christmas gifts so that
they can give a needy village a goat or a chicken or a cow or…. in honor of the
one they would normally give a nicer gift.
Take an honest look at your Christmas gift list. How many
people on that list NEED something from you? Probably very few. Why? Because we
are RICH! We just haven’t learned to admit it. As we approach the holiday
season, remember to Be Rich! Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk. Learn
to live generously and be intentional as you teach your kids to live
unselfishly.
"Teach those who are rich in this world (um... that's us)
not to be proud and not to trust in their money,
which is so unreliable.
Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
Tell them to use their money to do good.
They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need,
always being ready to share with others.
1 Timothy 6:17-18 nlt
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