Raising children is about so much more than providing them with the food, shelter, and clothing they need before sending them out into the real world. In addition to teaching them the life skills that they will need to become productive adults, you also want to make sure that they’re approaching life from a Godly point of view. One of the most important things that you can teach your children is how to take a Godly approach to money management.
Parenting is a difficult proposition, even in the most ideal of circumstances. Obviously, you have to provide for the physical needs of your children, but as a parent who is trying to raise Godly children, it’s important that you instill Biblical principles into your children as early as possible. You’re probably already aware of the need to teach your children about Bible study, prayer, church attendance, and having Godly relationships, but there is much more to consider.
One of the most important aspects of raising Godly children is teaching them the intricacies of dealing with money God’s way. While many people think that the best way to deal with difficult financial conversations is to shy away from them, that simply wasn’t God’s strategy. In addition to multiple verses in the Old Testament that talk about stewardship, giving, and other financial principles, Christ talked extensively about the importance of Godly money management. In fact, of the 34 parables that are recorded in Scripture, 11 of them deal with money or possessions.
God is not anti-money. He understands that money is a necessary part of life. However, He wants us to handle our finances in a way that aligns with His Word. As a parent, it’s your job to teach your children how to make that a reality. The Bible provides plenty of insight about how parents can raise their children to be Godly stewards of the money that God has given them.
Teaching Sacrifice
Romans 12:1-2 (TPT)
Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
One of the most important principles that you can teach your children about stewardship is that it requires sacrifice. When you take a Godly approach to your finances, you understand that it requires a great deal of sacrifice. Dating back to the Old Testament, God expected His people to give to Him first. This isn’t because God is selfish or needs our money. Instead, it’s because He knows that everything else in our lives come together when we acknowledge God first.
It’s important that your children understand the sacrifice associated with being a Godly steward. While you shouldn’t complain about your giving, it’s a good idea to let your children see that your giving comes with a sacrifice. There are times where you would love to spend your money on something fun. However, when you approach giving as your top priority, those fun things may need to be put on hold so you can give. Afterall, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Don’t hide the sacrifice of giving from your children. Instead, discuss it with them and let them understand that while giving comes with sacrifice, the rewards are incredible.
Discussing Heat Conditions
Matthew 6:21 (TPT)
For your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure.
The Sermon on the Mount is the most famous sermon that Christ ever delivered. Within the three chapters that contain the sermon, Christ taught multiple lessons that Christians should apply to their lives. While there are some verses that discuss finances and possessions, this statement that He made applies to so many areas of our lives that it can’t be ignored.
God doesn’t want us to hate money. We don’t need to be ashamed if we’ve achieved personal financial success. However, getting money and keeping money shouldn’t be the primary focus of our hearts. Instead, we understand that money is something that God blesses us with, but that it’s a tool.
One of the most important lessons that any parent can teach their child is about priorities. When you exhibit proper priorities for your children, you are shaping the same kind of priorities that they will have when they become adults. If you treat money like the most important thing in the world, there’s a good chance that your children will grow up with a similar worldview. However, if you treat God’s Kingdom, His teachings, and a relentless pursuit of discipleship as the most important things in your life, your children will pick up on that as well.
Teach your children about the importance of keeping their heart pointed toward the things of God instead of money. Yes, money is necessary, but it should never be the driving force in our lives. In other portions of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ promises us that God will provide for all our needs, which eliminates the need to worry about money. When you have your heart in the right place, and your treasures are found in the things of God, your children will pick up on that.
Embracing Transformation
Acts 4:32-35 (TPT)
All the believers were one in mind and heart. Selfishness was not a part of their community, for they shared everything they had with one another. The apostles gave powerful testimonies about the resurrection of hte Lord Jesus, and great measures of grace rested upon them all. Some who owned houses or land sold them and brought he proceeds before the apostles to distribute to those without. Not a single person among them was needy.
Finally, if you’re going to exhibit Godly stewardship to your children, it’s important that you embrace a personal transformation when it comes to your finances. No, this doesn’t mean that you have to act like the disciples in the early church, sell your home, your car, and liquidate everything to give to the local church. Obviously, if the Holy Spirit told you to do something like that, it’s important to be obedient, but embracing transformation doesn’t equate to putting yourself into poverty.
Instead, the kind of transformation that God wants for His people is found in the process of caring more about others than yourself. While we already discussed the idea of sacrificial giving, the idea of transformation goes beyond being open to sacrifice. Instead, it focuses on an internal transformation that teaches you that you’re not the most important person in your own life. In addition to your family, Godly transformation teaches you to care more about others than you do yourself.
This doesn’t have to be as extreme as selling your home like the early disciples did. However, it does mean that when you see others in need, you view it as an opportunity to help instead of something that you feel obligated to do. When you are truly transformed, you look for opportunities to use your finances as a means to bless others.
Let your children see this transformation. When your children grow up in a home where generosity is the norm, they will be more likely to grow up to be generous people.
Raising good stewards isn’t all that complicated. Instead, it simply requires that you adopt the mindset of God regarding money and exhibit those lessons in your daily life.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to become the kind of steward that You want me to be. Help me to view money the way that You do and manage it the way You would have me to. Help me to do this not only for myself, but so my children can see how I trust you with every area of my life, including my finances. I want them to grow up to be Godly stewards. In Christ’s name, Amen.