The “Love Manifesto” for 2012: Easy Ways for Parents to Model Love & Service
Christmas was electrifying. The sparkling lights, the glistening snow (in most cases) and the holiday cheer that buzzes always has me in a glow. I love that time of the year when people seem friendlier, smile brighter, and folks are lending helping hands. I don’t know about you, but when December 26 hit, all that seemed to change. The buzz was silent. The sparkles fizzled. There was no Christmas music playing, no gracious sayings and fewer smiles. It was like someone had turned off the Christmas cheer switch and everyone had gone back to their self-focused lives. Well, for 2012 I declare that not so. I declare that we have Christmas cheer throughout the year. Let this be the beginning of a lifetime of years where throughout the year we graciously give of our time, talent and treasure to others, particularly those outside of the Christian faith. This is our mandate, always has been our mandate, but we seem to fall in line with the world’s way of helping someone only during the holidays. Let us teach our children to give charity, or love, throughout the year, right along with our regular routines.
Charity is our last characteristic that the Apostle Peter talks about in 2 Peter 1. Used here, this is directing Christians to show love to non-Christians just as brotherly kindness is demanding that we show love to fellow Christians. Charity is important to display so we continually show the love of Christ, draw others by His love and help to bring them into the Kingdom. It’s easy for us to be kind to those we love. The Scripture tells us this and it also says when we show love to “our enemies,” we are being like God (Matthew 5:44-48). Loving others, especially those we may not think deserve our love, is what the Christian life is about. Remember the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). Your neighbor includes those outside of the Christian “country club.” The sooner we teach our children this, the easier it will be for them to automatically fulfill this command and position them to eventually pass this on to their children. To help you get started, I’ve put together what I call the Show Love Manifesto:
- I will teach my children what the Bible says about charity.
- I will create ways and opportunities for my children to show love.
- I will be intentional in my teaching.
- We will give regularly.
- We will give practically.
- We will give sincerely.
With the Show Love Manifesto as your guide, try these ways to give:
Adopt a buddy. Connect your child with a child or you can do this as a family. You can sponsor a child through an international program, like Compassion International or a local organization, like a youth home. You can choose to dedicate your attention on a family member or a neighbor in need. Send money; write letters; visit and just talk. Find out the needs and see how you can give.
Serve a senior. Elderly people always have needs, like shoveling snow, taking mail to the post office or getting groceries. Identify someone who could use your children’s energy and your guidance.
Distribute meals. Connect with an organization that provides meals for people in need and you and your children can help them pass meals out to their clients. You could also make some meals and distribute them at a warming center, a shelter after meal time (to catch those who missed the shelter meal) or to vagrants on the streets. Always use discretion.
Visit the sick. This could be at a hospital (for your older children), a nursing home or at the homes of friends and family members who are homebound. So many people who are cooped up for lengthy times get few visitors. Whenever my children and I visited my grandparents in the nursing home, other residents would beckon me to bring my children to see them. The stops always brightened their day.
Volunteer consistently. Select a time for you to routinely give so your charity becomes a part of your lifestyle. You can serve according to the calendar—weekly or monthly—or for regular activities, like the scheduled tutoring time at the youth home or craft time at the nursing home.
Whatever acts of charity or frequency you choose remember to carefully consider where to serve, who you serve, how you approach them and when you go. In addition to ministering the Gospel to those who are not in the fold, wisdom and safety are key. With these items in mind, you and your children will be well on your way to reaping the benefits of your charity:
1. Comfort in knowing that you are fulfilling God’s command and pleasing Him
2. Joy from glorifying God. Others seeing and inquiring about your good work gives an opportunity for you to tell others that you are working to serve God.
3. Exuberance about becoming contagious. The people you serve will remember what you did for them and likely be spurred to do the same for someone else. Even others will be inspired by your example.
4. Satisfaction about your charity
5. Delight about making recipients feel good because of your charity
6. Pleasure about building character, particularly compassion, action and appreciation, in your children
Ongoing giving is the spirit of Christmas shown throughout the year. Like the love God the Father had for the world made Him give His only Son, we must demonstrate our love for others by giving our best. When we serve, we are continually bringing heaven’s love to earth. This is the life meant for us Christians and having our children show charity is the perfect way to teach them to embrace the tenets of Christianity and effectively put the Kingdom first.
Rhonda J. Smith is a former college speech instructor & communications coordinator turned full-time homemaker & journalist. The writing of this committed wife and mother who earned her Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a Master’s degree in communication from Wayne State University, Detroit, has been featured in The Detroit News, Newsday (New York), Chicago Tribune, Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI),Guideposts, and Charisma Magazine.
Rhonda frequently speaks at ministry functions, writes and edits newsletters for Christian ministries, and teaches public speaking workshops. Three times a week, she encourages women to lean on God's strength instead of their own through her blog, Musings of a (Recovering) Strong Black Woman. She, her husband and three sons attend Evangel Ministries in Detroit, where they live.
Email Rhonda Smith:
rhonda@eewmagazine.com
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2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
I have been praying to God asking him to show me ways to show more love and compassion. This article is my answer! Thank you for spelling this out so practically and thoroughly. This will useful for both me and my children. God bless you Rhonda and have a Happy New Year!
Praise God, Bev! You are welcome. I love when God sends us the answer we have been seeking. Please let me know how your "showing love" goes. God bless you and your family and have a Happy New Year as well.