Helping Your Teen to Have Compassion

One of the most important lessons you can teach your teen is to care for the poor and needy.  The problem is that many people view the poor in a much different light than God does.  Deuteronomy 15:11 says, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." 

How do you teach this lesson to your teen?  The greatest way to teach about poverty is to experience poverty.  Most teens have seen poor people on the street or on a news program, however, most experience these scenes while in the air-conditioned car or on a comfortable sofa while watching TV.  Go and volunteer your time at a homeless shelter or go on the next short-term mission trip offered, and TAKE your teen.  Experiencing something like this with your teen will be life-changing for your whole family. 

Another way to combat poverty on a local level is to make care packages of non-perishable food items and toiletries to give to the poor.  This way you know you are meeting a need, and you know where your money is going.  Teens also love to give to a specific need, name, and face.  Organizations such as Compassion International (www.compassion.com) and World Vision (www.worldvision.com) allow your family to give support to a specific child.  You learn a little about their family and what your money is doing to help this child with the daily necessities of life. 

While we are still on this earth, there will always be the poor.  One of the best ways to help teach your teen about the poor is to show them how to do something to help them.  It teaches them to follow scripture as well as taking the focus off of themselves and putting it where it needs to be … on others.  We must be proactive in creating a generation of givers.