When a rich young man asked Jesus how to gain eternal life, he addressed Jesus as “good teacher.” Knowing the young man would reject His answer, Jesus called attention to it. “Why do you call me good? God alone is good.” The implication: You’re not asking this question of a mere teacher. God Himself will answer.
Nevertheless, the conversation ended when Jesus revealed to the rich man that the roadblock standing between him and eternal life was his stewardship. The story closes with the young man’s choice to hang on to his money even if it cost him eternity.
I wonder what brings us to that decision point. Despite God’s clear instructions, we too often fail to recognize that we put ourselves in eternal danger by being unfaithful stewards. The cure is inviting God to transform our hearts, while also choosing to be intentional in how we model generosity to our children and fellow Christians. What might that look like?
Five small ways to model giving
Bring back allowance cans
I’m grateful that my parents emphasized financial faithfulness when I was single-digit young. I remember the day they introduced weekly allowance. They handed me 10 dimes and five tin cans with handwritten labels: Tithe, Offering, Savings, School Supplies, and Spending. Every week I divided the dimes: one dime for tithe, one for offering, two for savings, two for school supplies, and four for other spending—always in that order.
Form a hands-on habit
Each Sabbath I emptied my tithe and offering cans and took the dimes to church, not to pay tithe but to return it. With the gradual disappearance of cash, it’s harder to teach small children about giving. Some Sabbath schools don’t even collect offering any more. But neglecting this habit-forming practice leaves a devastating impact on the character of tender young minds.
Plan intentionally
Thanks to the giving routine my parents instilled in me, half a century later I still return tithe before anything else. And to ensure my offerings are more than just a reaction to the routine offering call, I purposely plan my gift to God each Friday, just as my parents showed me. This way, giving is a deeper act of worship.
Demonstrate faithful giving
As a parent and pastor, I have come to see the value in setting an example of my own stewardship. Online giving has advantages, but it’s largely invisible. That’s why I often choose to write a paper check, slip it into a tithe envelope, and place it in the offering plate. When people—especially children—see those they look up to being faithful stewards, it helps form their attitude toward giving.
Give the results to God
Sometimes we’re tempted to object, “What if my tithe is misused or misdirected? I will not return tithe unless I can trust where it goes.” Absolutely, we should expect our churches and conferences to handle funds wisely and transparently. But for me personally, I choose to give freely, knowing the money is not mine but God’s. Even when He works through deficient humans, God can direct the offering and bless others in ways I might not comprehend.
I may have only a small bucket of funds, but when we each add our one bucket to the stream, it swells to become a river of blessings. Jesus invites me to consecrate my bank account, my time, and my abilities in service to Him. In return, He opens the windows of heaven to bless me now (Mal. 3:10), and He opens the eyes of my heart to see the glorious riches of our future inheritance (Eph. 1:18).
As for the rich young ruler who turned his back on Jesus? He’s long dead. His money is useless. I hope his mind cleared before it was too late. By choosing life with Jesus instead of fleeting treasure, he would have inherited infinitely unimaginable wealth.
