Training Children in Charity

Train a child in the way he should go - The Holy Bible (Pro. 22:6)

On Monday, I was on a day off from my usual work. Since my two kids were also having a holiday, I took them for breakfast to a nearby restaurant. After having our delicious breakfast, we were returning to home on my bike. On our way, we saw a street vendor pushing a cart (with four wheels), carrying some watermelons on it. Then we noticed that his cart suddenly fell into a drainage hole, having all the watermelons spilled out on the footpath.

Our hearts were moved to see what had happened and I turned my bike towards the cart to offer some help. Even before I completely stopped the bike, my eldest son, Joy (now 6 years old), jumped from my back and rushed to the cart to help the vendor. I didn’t have to get down from the bike. I just watched my son picking up the watermelons with his tiny hands and putting them on the cart. After finishing his good work, he wiped his hands, sat at the back of my bike and we headed to home.

My heart is often delighted to see such wonderful acts in my kids. I praise the Living God for these two blessings (kids) in my life! That night, I spoke to my wife about what Joy did and we encouraged ourselves to train our children more in charity and take them to the needy places where they would engage themselves in works of charity. We don’t know what amazing results we witness when we teach our children the importance of helping others and model before them.

Do we train our children in charity? We take our children to shopping malls, amusement parks, circus, stadium, parties, movies and to various sightseeing places, but do we occasionally take them also to orphanages, old-age homes and to other needy places so that our children would learn the importance of charity? Do we teach them by words and deeds about the significance of helping the needy? Do we just give them comforts without exposing them to the painful lives around us? Aren’t we responsible to coach our kids to share, to give and to become beneficent people of our age?

Father in heaven, the One who causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, move our hearts to do good to others and deliver us from living a selfish life. You taught us that true joy is not found in gaining but in giving. May we become partakers of that joy and engage our children to enjoy its blessings too. In Jesus Name. Amen!

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