Poverty

There may be kids in your community whose families have significantly less than others. Your kids may know families who struggle to provide food and other needs. This can be confusing when talking about how God provides. Emphasize that everything we have comes from God and that He knows our needs. He also knows we most need a relationship with Him, even more than we need physical things. Help kids understand that poverty is a part of a world broken by sin, but God uses poverty both to bring people to Himself and to allow His followers to be generous.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: What does the word “poverty” mean?

Discuss: Why do you think there are people in the world who live in poverty?

Discuss: What do you think God has to say about that?

Say: You may have heard someone say that if God were real, there wouldn’t be poor people in the world. If someone is poor, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care about them. Proverbs 22:2 says: The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all. Our world is broken by sin, which means many people are poor because of how others’ choices have affected them. Some people are poor because of their own choices. Some people are poor because, for reasons we don’t understand, that is what God has designed for their lives. God can use poverty to help bring people closer to Him and also to give His followers a chance to be generous to others. Brainstorm with your family how you could help others who have less.