As we read last week about King David and the legacy he set for his son, Solomon, we can set an example through our personal generosity, but we also need to give our children opportunities to participate, themselves.

We adopted a tradition last year from another family member that is an easy and visual way to engage the kids in giving. It really resonated with them and serves as a constant reminder of how much we have set aside to give. It’s so simple: we keep a glass vase on the kitchen table – you might call it a centerpiece – and dump loose change into it every day (or as often as I remember to empty my wallet). Toward the end of the year, we will take it to the coin-counting machine and use the money to help buy our gift-tree items for charity.

The day I realized that the coin vase was “working” was when one of the six-year-olds found a quarter on the ground. He brought it to me, and I expected him to beg me to take him to the store to spend it. Instead, he said, “Look what I found! Can I put it in the vase?”

Another easy way to get the kids involved is to let them participate in the offering. Perhaps let them put the envelope in the basket. If they get an allowance or earn money for small jobs, help them do the math to give their own tithe. My personal preference is to put the envelope face-down, and I explained to the kids that I do that because we aren’t supposed to show off our gifts, since they are between us and God (Matthew 6:1-4). It’s a small thing to do, and it certainly doesn’t mean that putting money in the offering basket another way is wrong, but it is just another way that I’ve tried to help them understand what the Bible says about giving.

I encourage you to be creative. Talk to your family about giving, and make generosity a family priority. Let’s think through some verses this week in our prayer time.