Gratitude gets a lot of attention in November and December. Between Thanksgiving which for many is a time of giving thanks and the quickly approaching Christmas which can bring out greed in the sweetest child, many parents struggle how to raise children who are truly grateful all year.
From “The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” (Psalm 118:24 NIV) to “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV), God makes it very clear he expects our gratitude.
There are probably many things you can do as you raise your children to help mold their hearts to be grateful. These are a few of my favorite:
I’m declaring November the “Month of Gratitude”. Granted I don’t think I actually have the power to make it official, but I encourage you and your family to join me. The Bible is full of verses like this one in Psalms “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1) I’m sure you have taught your kids to thank God when they pray, but have you ever encouraged your children to fully embrace the idea of a grateful heart?
Hope and joy are a huge part of Christianity. The hope of an eternity spent in Heaven can give Christians joy even in this fallen world. Others are often drawn to God when they see the hope and joy in our lives. Your children can learn to spread hope and joy as they go through life. They don’t have to be fake or even have a naturally bubbly personality to do so.
My work with Teach One Reach One (Parenting Like Hannah’s parent ministry) has me working with a lot of urban ministries and mission fields. When I meet a new group, one of the first things I do is ask what challenges they face. Inevitably, one of the things I hear is the groups that come in to serve their ministry are not well prepared to help.
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