Another Christmas was approaching, and my children were all geared up for what they were going to get. They already had their “wish lists” made and posted conspicuously on the refrigerator. But as I perused their closets and shelves I noticed the remnants of last year’s Christmas. There was the toy that was begged for and barely used, and the doll that was “last year’s model” — no longer the object of affection it had once been.

As Christians, my wife and I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of values we were teaching our kids, especially in light of a gift catalog I had recently discovered. Inside were items you could “buy” just like in a normal Christmas catalog — except instead of toys, clothes and food baskets, the gift items for sale included six months of schooling for an underprivileged child in a Third World country, a new well for a village without a fresh-water source, a hot breakfast for children in a primitive school and a seminary education for a native pastor.

That’s when we had a parental epiphany. Our kids had numerous outgrown clothes and discarded toys — all of them still in great condition. And because we wanted our children to be concerned about people with needs far greater than their own, instead of lecturing them about greed or showing them pictures of starving children, we brought them together and suggested a creative family project.

First we showed them the catalog. They were amazed at how cheaply some of the items for needy people could be purchased, and they were immediately exposed to how little other children have. By comparison, our children have grown up with so much that they find it hard to imagine that many people have to struggle daily with issues as basic as getting clean water and three square meals. My wife and I recognized that our children needed to be introduced to the heart of our Heavenly Father Who cares for the poor, and calls those with more than they need to be His hands and arms in caring for those with less.

We then suggested that our family hold a garage sale where we would sell all our unwanted things, including toys and clothes. But instead of keeping the money for our own use, we would pool it and buy something from the catalog. The kids instantly liked the idea, and we began.

Mom and Dad pitched in a few things, and our children collected all their old toys — even parting with items that surprised us. Had the Holy Spirit been tugging at their young hearts?
On the day of the sale, it was great watching our children taking responsibility for selling their own things, setting their own prices and putting a tag on each item. And, at the end of the day when neighbor children began to gather and look longingly at what hadn’t sold, our kids simply began to give the remainder away. The spirit of giving was beginning to grow in them, and the blessing of giving was becoming real.

We counted our money and looked again at the catalog. After much discussion, we made a decision: Today, in a small village in a Third World country, a new well provides fresh water for everyone. We paid for and gave it as a family, but what we received in return for our gift is far greater than simply the giving of it.

All Christian parents seek to instill values such as sacrifice, compassion and understanding in their children, and how to do so is often the challenge. But lecturing alone is usually ineffective. We’ve got to find a way to involve our kids in activities with a purpose — those that are not only enjoyable but achieve something of redeeming value as well.
My oldest daughter once met a family who owned a world-class Paint horse. They not only showed her kindness by teaching her to ride, but also allowed her to enter into competitions, helping fulfill her dream of riding horses. This family was not wealthy, and when it came time to take the horse to a show across the country, the cost of hauling it was beyond what they could handle. With one successful garage sale under our belts, we decided to try again. But this time we would be using the proceeds to pay for hauling a horse.

Knowing we didn’t have enough things to sell, our whole family put out the word to many of our friends. Could you donate anything to a garage sale for a good cause? All three of our children got involved, and not only did we get many donations, but we also extended our garage sale to three consecutive Saturdays. This meant that our kids had to get up early three Saturdays in a row (a traditional sleep-in morning for them), and my two youngest children weren’t even directly involved with the horse! But they did it, and with sales skills honed from our earlier experience, we raised over $1,000.

Again, our children would get nothing directly for themselves from this activity — other than the knowledge that they had helped someone in need. The family we assisted had been watching our Christianity closely, and we had spoken about it frequently to them. Now they were able to see our kids flesh out those truths we’d shared.

Watching our children work hard for something that won’t benefit them immediately or directly is a joyful experience every Christian parent can welcome. Finding new ways to help others and show kindness can be fun and rewarding for the whole family.

James reminds us to be doers and not hearers only of the Word (James 1:22). To our great delight we learned that our children would like to do just that. They simply need our help from time to time to get started.