Faith Talk: Discuss in your household or small group:
What is your most treasured possession? Why?
Jesus warned people about wanting to have more and more things. He said that life is not made up of how much a person has (Luke 12:15). What in life can’t we get from money or possessions?
What does faith in Jesus give us that money can’t buy?
Devotional Practices: As a home devotional activity, cut out and decorate credit-card-sized cards featuring these words: “Seek after God and not things”. Place these in your purses or wallets as a reminder to prioritize faith in Christ over the buying, gathering and using of things.
Service: Being “rich towards God” (Luke 12:21) means growing in generosity towards those who are in need. Decide together on a food item or recreational activity (e.g. rental of DVDs or movie outing) to forgo this week. Set aside the money saved to donate to a charity organization.
Rituals and Traditions: Giving consistently and regularly to God’s work in and through the church is a helpful practice for keeping a check on our accumulation of earthly things. Setting aside a portion of our income for church giving reminds us that God is the giver of all we have and puts him first ahead of our expenditure on other things. Talk together about how you determine your financial giving to the church and why it is important to give in this way. If household members (including children of all ages) do not give regularly, decide on a practice that will help them do so e.g. set aside money each Saturday night ready for Sunday morning.
