Teaching Kids to Serve: Friday Five Links

This Summer I've been thinking a lot about the qualities we want to instill and nurture in our boys.  At the end of the school year I took note of the ways they were growing and learning.  But I also want to be intentional as a parent.

So I started to ask:  What character traits are we cultivating?  What values are we instilling in them?  What am I modeling?  When am I actively training and teaching them? 

Today I want to highlight one value-  {serving}.  You mean, just because we're missionaries we actually have to teach our kids about service?  Yes.  And we have lots of room for growth.  As we were sitting in traffic the other day, a girl with a baby on her back came to our car window.  She was begging.  And I avoided making eye contact.

There are many conflicting views on how to respond to poverty- but in that moment I knew that Jesus would have reached out and not turned away.  A ton of kids begging on the street are working for someone who will take all the money they get.  And I don't want to reward begging, but I can't ignore them... "if you've given a cup of cold water to the least of these, you've given to Me..." I'm wrestling with this.  Asking how He would have me respond.

All that to say- teaching our kids to serve is vital.  And that is what prompted this post.
 
Serving is helpful on so many levels:

• it takes focus off of self.
• it grows compassion 
• it makes them grateful
• it gives children an avenue to show love for God and for others
• it teaches them responsibility

Here are five great links with ideas of how to get your kids serving and growing!

• The Reason We Serve
• 19 Ways to Serve
• Mighty Warriors Club
• 7 Ideas for a Stay At Home Mission Trip
• Reach Out from your Doorstep

 {How do you respond to beggars?  How does your family serve your community?}