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Day 06: He Owns It All (Giving)

"The earth is LORD's and the fullness thereof." (Psalm 24:1 KJV)

As I travel across the country, I get to meet a lot of responsible, hard-working people. They are high school students who already have an emergency fund in place. They are college kids who are working their way toward a degree without a school loan. They are young couples just starting out, but doing it without a load of debt hanging over their heads.

But I've also come across the self-centered ones. These are the people who, according to one study, are less likely to give, help others, or contribute to society than previous generations. And that's really sad, not just because they're ignoring needs around them, but also because they aren't experiencing the joy and power that comes from generous giving.

Having a selfish mentality is a big obstacle for a lot of people, both kids and adults. In fact, it's something your children are either struggling with right now or will face in the near future. It's just inevitable because we live in a culture focused on "me, me, me."

But selfishness doesn't have to take over your kids' lives. You can teach them to live with an open hand. And you can start by reminding them that God really does own it all.

King David made that point pretty clear in Psalm 24:1. God made it all, so He owns it all. The earth and everything in it belongs to Him. That fact alone should change the way we think about money and material blessings.

But God isn't just the Owner; He's also a generous Giver. And because we are made in His image, we're called to be generous givers as well.

And teaching those lessons really does start at home. More is caught than taught, remember?

When kids grow up in a house where generosity is a priority, they start to see themselves differently because they see others differently. If your children can embrace the twin truths of God's ownership and His call to generous living, they can break through the wall of selfishness.

What's more, they can make a difference in the world around them.