Servant Hearts

By Casey Sprehe

Our family is blessed. Our needs are met. And, if I’m being honest, most of our wants are, too.

The pull to focus on our first-world problems is very strong. I find gratitude and giving good antidotes to prevent that. It’s a battle that often, I let the other side win.

Trying to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and a culture of serving and giving among my kids is something my husband and I are attempting to do.

I’m grateful to God and want to give back to him what he’s given to us.

As adults, the ways we serve and give back doesn’t always involve our kids.  That’s ok. However, teaching kids the importance of serving helps set a life of other-focused.

I want my kids to be generous with their time, talent and treasure and to be servants to others.

I’m searching for new ways to serve that involve my kids. I’m open ears to anyone’s suggestions.

Here’s one we have implemented: Before each child’s birthday, we go through his belongings and choose what to donate to the poor. I’ll usually do a first pass and then allow them to go through it all with me.

The whole family does this again before Christmas. So, each child is doing a personal donation twice a year. It’s an easy way for me to serve because I’m a minimalist at heart.

But, the true heart of the matter is that I want them to know that they are blessed beyond measure. We have people in our lives who love and shower us with gifts during holidays.

Some of their peers aren’t so blessed. It’s our Christian duty to be a giver to a peer in need. It’s one way my kids can work to be other- centered and serve, but I know there are more ideas.

Please share below in comments how you teach your children to serve!