Giving is Worship

" Worship the LORD with gladness"

Psalm 100:2

My parents' church recently launched a stewardship campaign with the theme.....Giving is Worship. It was such a wonderful reminder to me that worship isn't just limited to songs of praise that fill our churches on Sunday mornings or even daily, personal prayers of thanksgiving. In truth, anything that brings pleasure to God is, indeed, worship. So........obviously giving is certainly an act that brings joy to our Lord and is therefore a wonderful way to glorify and honor Him.

I wanted a simple way to teach my own kiddos that giving to others in need is a way they can truly worship Jesus. Our church is one of many who are participating in Samaritain Purse's Operation Christmas Child. I wanted Karson and Brady to understand the signifcance of what an ordinary shoebox packed with simple treats would mean to a child who has nothing. So, I showed them some pictures of the children in my World Vision magazine and a photo of the child we sponsor in Haiti.

Karson loved looking at the children in the pictures and never once questioned why they looked very different than her. In fact, she didn't even seem to notice the color of their skin. The only concern she had when looking at a picture of some orphaned school children was, "Where are their mommies and why aren't they with them?" We talked about how many of these children don't have toys to play with and that many don't have enough food to eat. Karson quickly responded, "Mommy, mommy! Their mommies just need to go to the grocery store!!! Sometimes you say we don't have any food and you go to the grocery store. That's all they need to do mommy!!" Obviously, poverty is a hard concept for children, who literally have everything, to understand.

However, one thing that Karson and Brady did understand........ and were sure that they had in common with these children is a love of candy! So, we decided to go through their mountain of Halloween candy and send all of our suckers and hard candy to "the little children in Africa." They were actually excited about this and kept saying, "I think the little children will like this piece mommy!" and "Do you think they will like this sucker, etc.?" This is just one of many, many bags of candy we put together.

I also took them shopping and let them each pick out items that they thought "the little children" would like. Karson was quick to say, "I have to buy them pink because little girls in Africa like pink too!" Brady said, "I fink, I fink the little children will like a spiderman car......I fink they will mommy!" I think they will too Brady. Giving IS worship!

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." 1 Chronicles 16:29