Raising World Changers In A Changing World By Kristen WelchSample

Day Two

Finding More in Less

Scripture: 1 John 4:19

God’s divine will is for us to be generous and for us to raise givers. But sometimes the space between His sovereign plan for our lives on the one hand and the redemption of our problems, our pain, and the wayward path we choose on the other hand is difficult to comprehend. It’s much easier to trace the redemptive thread He weaves through the seasons of our lives once we’ve lived them. That’s why in uncertain times, living with joy is often discovered not in our gains but in what we give away. 

When my husband and I became parents, we didn’t plan to raise world changers. But the moment we started teaching our kids to put others first, we discovered that small acts of kindness and compassion do change the world. Mostly, however, those acts change us. 

I spent the first half of my married life trying to create a happier life for my family. But instead of feeling satisfied with all that filled our home and hearts, we felt hollow and empty. When we began giving to others, we discovered that we didn’t have less for ourselves, we had more. 

I want to invite you to the profound and complete joy that comes from sacrificially sharing what we have been given—our time, talents, and wallets—with those who have less. That means living sacrificially in front of our kids and accepting the hard truth Jesus teaches: our abundance isn’t for us to keep. It is given to us to be given away. When we follow Jesus in this way, we discover the unfathomable satisfaction, soul-quenching purpose, and unparalleled contentment that come when we give our lives away. 

Parenting in a changing world changes us. My family has witnessed this firsthand. We are learning what matters and what doesn’t. We teach our kids that giving doesn’t make us poor, but it does cost us. We keep paying the cost because the value we receive is higher. 

God calls us to give more, share more, and do more. Not to prove we are good people but to glorify Him. We give because He first loved us, and we are to love others. We give because we have it to give. We give because we want to raise children who give. We want to see our kids change someone else’s world. 

How does sacrificial giving reflect God’s love?