Teaching The Most Difficult Lesson
This past month I saw one of the most amazing displays of great parenting I have ever seen. There are arguably seven or eight things every child needs to know in order to be able to find God’s plan for their lives. These are all lessons that parents must choose to focus on.
Chip and Mary Jane Lafferty get the “Parenting Award” for raising a son who has already learned a lesson that the vast majority of adults have missed. This well learned lesson was on display at their son Daniel’s recent birthday party. Five year old Daniel is pictured above putting a second load of birthday presents into a Sheridan House vehicle—presents given to him for his birthday. “Why are those presents for Daniel going into someone else’s car,” you might be asking yourself? That is the point of this five year olds’ maturity.
When it came time for Daniel to have his party he got an idea. “I have enough toys, mom. Could we tell kids to come to my party and bring toys for kids who don’t have what I have? Then we can take them to Sheridan House and they can give them to other boys and girls.”
Little Daniel basically said, “enough is enough … it’s time to give away.” And not only give away from abundance; but give away at your birthday party. This is a time when children have learned in order to be happy, keep anticipating on getting lots of gifts. For a five- year-old, this is the kind of giving that has a cost.
In a time when adults have grabbed onto the misconception that more is better, and more will make us happier, we find a child who understands the principle of generosity.
Wow! What would happen if everyone caught this principle? What would change if adults said, “I have enough, and it’s time to give away rather than build bigger barns to store more stuff.”
In our world …no, let’s not even talk about the world… let’s bring it into our own backyards. In our own communities, there are so many children, single parent families and widows with needs. While we are making more and more purchases, isn’t this the time for all of us to catch the Daniel Principle?
This is not about giving out of guilt it is about giving out of joy! This little boy was giddy and filled with joy as he filled the van twice with gifts. These were gifts that were his; but he wanted to give them away to children less fortunate.
The Bible promises us that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). We are also encouraged to have child-like faith. Young Daniel is teaching all of us that it is more fun to give than it is to receive. This is a principle we have to choose to believe, put into practice, and then train to those around us to do the same. How cool is this kid!
If our communities caught the Daniel Principle, and gave abundantly to their churches, churches in turn would have more to give to help the needy. This world would become a different place to live. Generosity expressed by the believers in this manner would cause the non-believers to take notice. Perhaps this is what Daniel was doing, teaching his friends how much fun it is to let go of things and give.
Thank you, Daniel, for teaching all of us how to give!