Teaching Children About Money Tithes and Offerings

As responsible parents, it is important for us to be teaching children about money and other strong values that will stay with them their entire lives. We take great care to make sure they know to “do unto others as they would have others do unto them.”

But what appears to be lacking is an admonition for children to give tithes, offerings to the poor, have compassion for others, and be charitable.

We take great pains to pass on our own values of sexual morals and the sanctity of life. However, we often forget one of the most important things of all, which is to pass on a responsible financial legacy to them.

Will Your Children Rob God?

Yes, acting responsibly with our finances is vital and we need to start teaching our children about money at a young age.. We are commanded to tithe (10%) our income back to him and also give offerings. Not doing so is robbing God and our children need to learn this as soon as they start earning any money of their own.

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:8

Getting right down to the core, teaching children about money through tithes and offerings is not about giving money to God. It is about obeying him because we love him and he is worthy to be obeyed in all areas of our life.

“But Daddy, why does God need our money?”


“He does not, son. He wants our heart's obedience. How can we expect any blessings from God if we are not willing to obey and honor him in every nuance of our life? The answer is we cannot. It is the same as not doing your chores and then asking your Mamma for a piece of her scrumptious home made pie. It will simply not happen.

And God goes further in Malachi to state that we actually rob him when we do not tithe. This is stealing from God, son. I surely do not want to be a thief of God's possessions and neither do I want that for you.”

A Multi-Generational Legacy

Such admonitions and guidance will start your children off on a very good lifelong habit of godly obedience.

Next, teach them to always pay their bills on time and to never get into debt, paying every cent they owe when it is due. As Christians, we are to take our financial responsibilities very seriously, passing on these responsible financial actions as a legacy by teaching children about money and its responsible use. This way, we can be sure they will follow the path we started them out on for a lifetime, and will teach their children the same things.

A multi-generational legacy indeed.

Here is another article I wrote on teaching kids about money.

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