Yesterday, Anna taught me a big lesson. We've been allowing her to do some things to earn dollars. She is saving up for a big toy. (Some days it's a Tinkerbell doll and other days it's a wagon. We'll see which she decides on in a month or so.) Once each week we fill out a tithing slip so she can pay tithing on the dollars she has earned during that week. As we did this last night, she really shocked me in her approach to the entire situation.
The first thing she taught me was the sheer excitement she had for paying tithing. As we get older and things become more routine, we often lose this excitement. But this really is a big thing. We should all get excited when we fill out tithing envelopes and hand them to the bishop. I think we would if we were handing them directly to the Savior. But what's the difference, really?
The second thing she taught me was a little more complex. She knew that we gave 10% back to Jesus. Last night she asked me WHY. She wasn't upset about doing it- as I said above, she was very excited- but she was curious about the why of tithing. I wasn't sure how to explain it. I was inspired to explain it this way: We give 10% back to Jesus to tell him thank you for the money and all our blessings. She loved that explanation. It helped me understand a little more of the why as well. As we sat down at the kitchen table so she could write her name and the amounts on the little slip, she told me that we should also say a thank you prayer for the money. So before filling out her tithing slip, my little girl folded her arms, bowed her head, and said a short, simple prayer thanking her Savior for the money she had earned.
The last thing she taught me was about giving. She needed to pay thirty cents for tithing, as she earned three dollars this week. (I think this was a record amount for her since we started this activity.) She had a dime and a quarter that she pulled out of her coin bank. I thought about looking for a nickel so she could pay an exact amount. Then I realized that this might be a good time to teach her what fast offerings is. I chose that route.
I explained that we give fast offerings money to the bishop so he can help families in our ward who may not have enough money for medical bills, food, or a house. Then I asked her if she wanted to give the dime and quarter to the bishop, and have five cents go to people who might need food, or if she wanted to find the nickel.
Her answer didn't really surprise me. I figured she'd say she wanted to give some fast offerings, and that was what she wanted. But what surprised me was her enthusiasm. Let's give the bishop lots of money so he can help people buy LOTS of food!
If only we were all as giving as little children. Jesus told his disciples to be like little children. If only it was easy to be childlike instead of childish. I think most of us have an easy time slipping into childish things. But how good are we at being childLIKE instead? It's the love, the giving, the easy-forgiving nature we are to copy. So willing to learn and take instructions, so trusting in our caregivers...
Just a thought.
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