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Your Child and Money - Values
Parents and Responsible Stewardship
The ad on TV was, what they call in the trade, a "grabber." There was this Hollywood-type father and his son, brown-eyed an button-cut. The father was helping the little tyke make some money decisions. The son was protesting because daddy was setting aside part of his little pile of coins into a piggy bank.
"As a child," the father is explaining to his son, "you need a little direction about what to do with your money. As an adult, I don’t want anyone telling me what to do with my money." The thirty-second spot was promoting the services of a money management firm. You can bet they got a lot of mileage out of that spot. For a number of reasons.
It had all the ingredients of a first-rate ad - a little tyke and an amiable father and good copy. But there was more than that. The ad was in tune with what a lot of folks think about their money. It was stating fundamental money facts. First, the most important thing you can teach your youngsters is good saving habits. Secondly, as an adult you must assume full responsibility for the way you handle your money. You may get advice, but the responsibility is yours.
Perhaps those reasons are why we - on the average - are not such good stewards, hardly better than "others." God has richly blessed us. He has given us pastors and teachers who hold close to his Word. The Bible for us, as it was for our fathers, is the Word of God, incapable of error, incapable of deceiving us. Jesus is still our exalted Lord and Savior.
And yet our practice of Christian giving is - on the average - hardly better that anyone else’s. Yes, we are thankful for every gift we receive from the widow’s mite to the prosperous tither. But it is also true that a few give much. Our churches’ financial officers can document that for us.
Two of the problems
Let’s look at two of the problems, Children learn from their parents - a cliche’, tired and worn. But that doesn’t make it less true or important. Imagine a parent, a father perhaps, sitting in church and lustily singing the hymn "take my life and let it be". Without missing a beat he lets the words of the fourth verse roll out: "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold".
Now imagine that the sermon was on a stewardship text, say, the words of Jesus, "No one can serve two masters....You cannot sever God and money" (Matthew 6:24). The pastor makes some pointed remarks about putting first things first. Dad is steaming as he gets in the car. "Money!" he explodes. "That’s all I hear in that church. Money! Money! Money! I’m sick and tired of it!"
The little boy and little girl in the back seat hunker down. They don’t like to see their daddy so angry, so worked up. They listen. And they remember. The church is always asking for money, even their daddy says so. And it must be wrong because he is so angry about it.
A few years of this kind of conversation in the home - and it needn’t be often - and the children get the message loud and clear. It remains in their complaint box even if they drop out of church.
We know how it is. Cursing parents have cursing children. Violent parents have violent children. Poor stewardship is caught form the parents. There are substantial exceptions, praise God, but the tendency is clear.
There is another problem. It lies with us who teach. We teachers are intimidated by parents who say, "The church is always asking for money". We are intimidated by parents who say, "My giving is between me and my God".
Patiently and evangelically
Every teacher of the church - pastor, teacher or parent - must patiently and evangelically urge that the disposition of our money - how we view it, how we use it, what it means to us - reveals fundamental information about our character, about our Christianity. (Luther said that our pocketbook is the last thing about us that is converted.)
We must patiently and evangelically insist that money and the Christian’s use of it are not a private matter between a Christian and God. It is no more private and personal than any other "measurable" aspect of our Christian life, for example, our confession or our church and communion attendance. All of these things are a deep concern to the congregation.
We must patiently and evangelically exhort that the true mark of the Christian life is generosity, generosity in every respect. Our life is to mirror the life of Christ, generous to his death (2 Corinthians 8:9). He withheld nothing. He gave all - and no grumbling. He lived his life in the shadow of the cross, just as we are to do.
Generously: the love, the peace, the forgiveness that comes from God we share with our loved ones and with all those our lives touch. Generously: never holding back because we have an inexhaustible source, found in our Savior.
What I can do as a parent
Don’t play around with your faith, Don’t make it optional. Make it live in your home as the focal point of your life. That kind of life is contagious, and your children can catch it.
Live a full, generous life. Don’t be a miser with your love, with your forgiveness, with your compassion. Don’t be afraid to show that you are a caring person. Don’t be afraid because there is laughter in your home. And let your generosity spill over into your giving. Be a cheerful giver.
Involve everyone in planning your giving to the Lord. Don’t think of "needs". Think of how richly God has blessed you. Don’t give the impression to your children that your giving is haphazard and unplanned.
By your example teach that giving is a privilege by which you share in the mission and work of Jesus Christ. Make your dollars happy dollars, spreading life and salvation in your community, in your country, in the world.
Something to think about
Do I broadcast by word and life that Jesus is the center of my life? (Matthew 6:25-34).
In 2 Corinthians 9:8 what does God promise that we will always have? Is St. Paul referring to money?
What about tithing? Look at Genesis 14:20 - this was before tithing was written into the law of Moses. Consider tithing not as a "must" but as and evangelical goal.
What does St. Paul (in Philippians 4:19) promise God will do for us? Say it to yourself at least once every day!
Prayer
Heavenly father, we thank you for all the blessings your grace has given us: the forgiveness of sins in your Son, Jesus Christ, your love without measure, the gift of home and family, our daily bread. Give us hearts to acknowledge these gifts that we never fail to recognize you as the source of every blessing and never fail to give you our praise and daily thanks. Teach us to use our blessings that your name might be glorified and your kingdom come. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Family of God series is copyright © 1985 Northwestern Publishing House. and is published under the auspices of PACE (Partners Advancing Christian Education), Wisconsin Lutheran High School Conference, Milwaukee, WI. Reprinted by permission.
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 53226-3284
Phone: 1-800-662-6022
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