“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” James 2:17
We live in a world of narcissism. Western children are showered with the best clothing, toys, parties and entertainment money can buy. We take our children on vacation, we make sure their comforters match their sheets and we ensure there are plenty of pretty packages under the tree on Christmas morning.
Those aren’t bad things, necessarily, but if that is our focus, our kids will hear loud and clear that the world revolves around them.
Teach Kids to Serve
In his letter to the Jewish believers, James was very clear about our role, as Christians, in God’s Kingdom:
“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, ‘Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” James 3:14-16
It’s our job to raise kids who serve.
Service is not only a central, Scriptural part of loving our neighbors; it is also a wonderful way to create perspective. Children cannot possibly come in contact with raw need without beginning to understand the blessings in their life.
Here’s the secret: Teaching kids to serve isn’t hard. It’s fun!
How do we teach service? How can we give our children the gift of a life well-spent?
How to Volunteer with Kids
Our family has focused on teaching our kids to serve others in love, as Christ served us. I have a few quick tips for volunteering with your kids that will make loving others easy and fun for everyone.
1. Serve Together
It’s easy to spend a lot of time serving as adults and assume our children will observe and later follow in our footsteps. Instead, spend time serving with your children. Let them experience the joy of helping others. When you serve with your kids, you’re also spending time with them, teaching them. It’s a bonding experience, and it strengthens the family.
2. Make Serving a Family Lifestyle
Look for opportunities to serve on a daily basis. Pray together and ask God to open your eyes to the need. Spend time reading about other cultures, religions and about poverty. Help your kids understand the issues, so when need arrives, they’re ready. If your family is going to have a mission statement, let it be “We Serve God in Love”–whenever, wherever and however.
3. Serve Creatively
I recommend beginning service at a young age with your kids. That often requires some creativity. Many great organizations exist that allow children to help. However, it’s not necessary to volunteer only through non-profits. There are many wonderful and creative ways to serve in the community God placed your family in. Need some ideas?
- Host a cooking evening for foreign students from your local university. Bake apple pies and present the Gospel. Invite their families–and let your kids host the kids.
- Help tutor foreign refugees after school in your home. Your kids will love teaching someone else the basics.
- Find an organization that distributes clothing and toys to foster children and help sort.
- Gather your little (and big) garden tools and adopt a few elderly families to garden for.
- Add a few rows to your vegetable garden to grow especially for your local food bank.
- Volunteer in a soup kitchen–they won’t let the smaller kids in the kitchen, but often the children can help in the dining room. (This means you should be in the dining room, too!)
4. Serve Consistently
Create lots of variety in your service and experiment, but be sure to pick one or two acts of service you follow through with on a regular basis. Did you weed for the neighbors in the fall? Go back in the spring. Do you homeschool? Create a service class and serve at a particular place or in a particular way once a week. Encourage your children to think about who they are serving and the need they are filling.
5. Teach Discretion During Service
When Jesus warned us in Matthew 6:3-4 that our left hand shouldn’t know what our right hand is doing, He promised that our gifts given in private will be rewarded in Heaven. Be sure to teach that we don’t give for earthly recognition or rewards. We give because we are serving the Lord. We give because we love Jesus, and because He has commanded us to love others. Our service is to be a way of life–not a bullet point on our resumes.
6. Be Encouraging and FUN!
This may be the most important point! Children have fragile spirits. We want to encourage a life-long love of service.
When you take your 3 year old to wash feet, or your 16 year old and his buddy to sort dirty clothes, they may not “perform” the way you hope, and that’s OK. Talk often about serving the Lord, serve often, and encourage frequently. Remember, as your kids are serving others, you are serving them. Every service opportunity is a teachable moment, and it is never the last opportunity to serve. Lecturing or correcting has a funny way of squelching the joy of the Lord.
In living for Christ, we are going to have to set aside our old priorities and pick up some new ones. As we do, we’ll find a life that is fulfilling and exciting beyond what we’ve imagined possible. How exciting that we have the opportunity to experience with the little people we’ve been entrusted with!
What are your best tips about how to volunteer with kids? Comment below!
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Nita Belles says
April 17, 2011 at 7:07 amWow Danika! VERY good blog! This is a book in the making. Let your kids help write it! 😉
I’m reposting it on my FB page right now!
Danika Cooley says
April 17, 2011 at 7:45 amThank you, Nita! I’m honored that you are reposting! I hope others find it helpful.
Duene and LeeAnn says
April 17, 2011 at 10:41 amHello I do not know you but read this blog on one of my friends FB (Nita) WOW this is good stuff.
We are authors and wrote the book Raising Kids Right in A World Gone Wrong. (As well as some books on marriage) We do lots of ministry with parents and couples all over the world. I agree so much with what you wrote. We have a couple booklets, one on marriage and one on raising kids, at the publishers right now.
We have 6 children( we each had 3, our first mates died and we have been married nearly 25 years) Together we have 15 grand children.
. We feel very strongly that it is so important that our children and grandchildren go to a 3rd world country in they’re growing up years. All of ours have except the youngest 11 and she is planning on going this fall. It so changes their world view.
Thanks for this good blog on raising kids- it is so needed in our world today Blessings LeeAnn Smucker Rawlins
Danika Cooley says
April 17, 2011 at 1:28 pmDuene and LeeAnn,
Thank you for the comment. It sounds like you have a lot of experience with raising children! I love the title of your parenting book.
I know that visiting a third world country certainly changed my perspective for life. What an excellent idea!
Danika
Hayidan's Intuition says
April 17, 2011 at 12:26 pmaww these are great tips i’ll be sure to use these when i get older. 😉
Danika Cooley says
April 17, 2011 at 1:28 pmThanks! I’m glad they were helpful. 🙂
Louanne says
October 22, 2011 at 1:32 pmThis is great! I found you through your comment on HHM FB post today.
Danika Cooley says
October 26, 2011 at 9:39 amThanks, Louanne! I’m glad you found me and I hope you return!
Pennies of Time says
June 14, 2013 at 7:24 pmThis is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing. Definitely sharing this as helping others see that serving with young kids is what I am constantly talking/writing about. Thank you!
Danika Cooley says
June 18, 2013 at 9:40 amThanks so much for sharing! I’m glad it was beneficial, and I love that you write about serving with small children!