Learn how these 25 Bible verses about the spirit of giving and sharing can help teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas.
How to Teach Kids about the Spirit of Giving and Sharing
“Mom! See that toy? I want that!”
“Here, I made you a list of the toys I want.”
“I can’t wait to get all of my presents on Christmas!”
As a parent of little kids, it can get a little overwhelming when the holidays arrive. It seems that with every year kids (and let’s face it, adults too) lose sight of why we even have Christmas to begin with.
It’s difficult for little kids especially to focus on the spirit of giving rather than receiving. Everyone is thinking about getting Christmas presents and creating Christmas lists.
I admit: I’m guilty of it. I get caught up in this spirit too.
A few years ago, my family started a new tradition featuring The Shepherd’s Treasure. Our Shepherd, Sheldon (named by the kids), went on a journey to find the true meaning of Christmas.
What is The Shepherd’s Treasure?
The Shepherd’s Treasure is a faith based alternative to the Elf on the Shelf that teaches kids about the true meaning of Christmas. The Shepherd can go on a little journey around the home, posing in little scenes and sharing Bible verses that relate to the Christmas story. Like the Elf, he moves around every day to pose in each little scene.
Unfortunately, it became a bit much moving him around every day, just like some parents find it hard to move around the Elf. Since I love the message the Shepherd sends to the kids, I needed to find another way to use him.
This year, the Shepherd will be leaving the kids 25 verses to learn about the spirit of giving and sharing. Each verse will have a little explanation or suggested activity that will help the kids understand more about how giving in the right spirit can be more valuable than receiving.
Instead of moving to a new spot every day, the Shepherd will sit in one special place have a new verse in his little gift box (which is just a little metal gift card box).
25 Bible Verses about the Spirit of Giving, for Kids
Feel free to use the printable version of these 25 Bible verses about the spirit of giving, which you can find below! (And please leave a comment telling me what you think of the verses!)
I searched for 25 Bible verses that captured the importance of giving and sharing, with the addition of three verses that tell of the gifts from the three wise men.
After each verse is a little discussion starter. I imagined trying to explain the verses to my youngest children. For adults there may be more meaning in the verses, but for kids ages 7 and younger, I thought it best to stick to the basics that they would understand.
Note: I used a variety of Bible editions for these verses.
There is a little bit of repetition here and there, but repetition is great for learning and retaining complex ideas.
Day 1 starts on December 1st, and Day 25 will be Christmas.
If you’re going to use the printable version for The Shepherd’s Treasure, you can cut out each individual text box to use each day.
Day 1: Hebrews 13:16
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
When you can, it’s always a good idea to choose the right thing to do and to share with others! How can you share with others today?
Day 2: 2 Corinthians 9:7
“Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
It can be hard to share with people sometimes, like when you share with your brother or sister. Don’t just share because you have to; share because it’ll make others happy! Who can you make happy with sharing today?
Day 3: Matthew 6:3-4
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Is it right to share or give to the needy and then ask for everyone to clap for you? It would feel awkward, wouldn’t it? What are some ways you can share without looking for attention?
Day 4: Proverbs 22:9
“He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
There are people who don’t have enough food to eat. Do you have enough food to eat? How can you share your food with others? (Talk about food banks or donating time at food kitchens.)
Day 5: Acts 20:35
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Have you ever given a gift or donation to someone and felt really good inside about doing it? Just think: giving more often will make you feel even better inside!
Day 6: Deuteronomy 15:10
“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
Do you know what grudging means? It means to feel like you’re being forced to do something. Is that the right way to feel when you’re giving something to someone?
Day 7: Proverbs 21:26
“All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.”
Have you seen all the toy commercials and catalogs lately? Can you ever have too much stuff and still want more? It can make you crazy wanting more and more stuff. Do you remember how it can make you feel if you give rather than receive?
Day 8: Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
What does it mean to be poor? Can you be poor in other ways, like not having happiness, or not hearing many kind words? What can you do to help the poor? (Talk about donations to local organizations or showing kindness to a friend.)
Day 9: Luke 3: 10-11
“And the multitudes asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
Do you have extra things? What can you give away to help those in need? (Talk about donating to coat drives, donating gently used clothing and shoes.)
Day 10: 1 John 3:17
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”
God wants us to help each other as much as we can. Do you think it’s nice to ignore someone who needs our help?
Day 11: Hebrews 13:5-6
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Are you happy with the things you have? Did you know that you shouldn’t worry about having the things you need? God will give them to you because He loves you! Sometimes you might not get what you want, but you’ll have the things you need.
Day 12: Matthew 25:35-40
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
There are so many people who need clothing, or food, or even a friendly visit. When we help others in need, we are doing something nice for God. Who can you help today?
Day 13: Matthew 5:16
“In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do. Live so that they will praise your Father in heaven.
Remember when we talked about not telling other people when you do something good? We shouldn’t give to others or do nice things just for attention, but it doesn’t mean people won’t notice. When you give to someone in need or do something nice, others may notice and be inspired to do the same thing! How can you let your light shine today?
Day 14: Matthew 10:42
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Do you have to give a large gift or a lot of money to show someone you care? Nope! Sometimes, all it takes is a simple gesture, a small gift, to show people that you care. Even better when it is something they need, like a cup of water, some help with their homework, or even a smile.
Day 15: Romans 12:13
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Hospitality has to do with being kind, thoughtful, generous, and friendly. How can you be kind and thoughtful today?
Day 16: John 15:12
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
You don’t only have to give away physical objects. You can give love, kindness, forgiveness, or even patience, just as God has given those things to us. How can you show love, kindness, forgiveness, or patience today?
Day 17: Matthew 10:8
“…Freely you have received; freely give.”
When you give someone a gift, you don’t ask them for money for it, do you? Giving is about not asking for anything in return. Sometimes it’s just nice to share with others, even if they have nothing to give you back! What could you give to someone today?
Day 18: 1 Chronicles 29:1-9
“Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord; David the king also rejoiced greatly.”
A long, long time ago, King David needed his people’s help building a temple for God. A temple is like a church. The people gave what they could to help make the temple beautiful, and because they did it willingly, without being forced, it made them feel good inside. They did something for someone else without asking for anything in return. Don’t you feel good inside when you do something nice without being forced to do it?
Day 19: Matthew 6:11
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Do you know The Lord’s Prayer? Part of it is asking God to give us our daily bread, which is basically asking Him to give us the basics that we need each day. Yes, God gives us what we need, not exactly everything we want. What He gives us is for our good; what we want isn’t always for our good. What are some of the things God gives you that are for your good?
Day 20: Romans 6:23
“…the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Another gift from God, and it’s free for everyone! God gives us eternal life because of Jesus, His gift to us. He sent Jesus to save us from our sins and our selves so that we could join Him in Heaven someday.
While our gifts to others can’t be quite as big, we can still show others how great Jesus’ gift is by showing love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and patience to others. Remember how it says in the Bible to “Let your light shine before men” (Matthew 5:16)? This is how you can do it! How will you shine your light today?
Day 21: Matthew 2: 10-11
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
The first gift given to Jesus was gold. Do you know what gold is? Gold is a precious metal, often given to ancient kings as a gift. Since Jesus is the King of Kings, the three wise men offered Him gold to recognize His kingship, even as a young baby.
Can you imagine a baby getting the gift of a king? Is there any gift you can give to Jesus? Can you show love to others or devote your time to helping others as a gift to Jesus the King? Of course you can!
Day 22: Matthew 2:10-11
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Frankincense is another gift given to Baby Jesus. Like gold, it was also given to ancient kings as a gift. Frankincense is known for its healing properties, but it was used in temples by priests as an expensive incense a long time ago. This gift was given because Jesus is the chief of all priests, sharing God’s word with the world.
Priests are supposed to share the good news about Jesus with others, which is kind of like giving a special gift. How can you share the good news about Jesus?
Day 23: Matthew 2:10-11
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”
Myrrh was the final gift given to Baby Jesus. Like gold and frankincense, it was an expensive gift that was fit for a king, but it had a bittersweet purpose. Remember how frankincense could be used for healing? Myrrh could be used for healing certain illnesses too, but it was also used for embalming people when they die (like when the Egyptians wrapped up their kings like mummies).
It’s possible that myrrh was given to Baby Jesus to be a symbol for His death on the cross. While it might be sad to get that gift as a baby, those who were there understood that when He grew up, He was going to give the greatest gift of all: His life for our lives.
Did you thank Jesus for His gift to us? How can you tell someone else about the greatest gift of all?
Day 24: John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Today is Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas! Are you ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus?
You might be thinking of all the presents that you might see tomorrow, but let’s think about the present that God gave to us: Jesus! Jesus is God’s only Son, but He sent Jesus to Earth to help us and to save us from our sins. He could have let Jesus stay up in Heaven where He would be treated like royalty, but instead, He loves us so much that He sent Jesus away so that we could all be together someday for all of eternity.
Isn’t that amazing that God, the creator of the universe, loves us enough to send His only Son away to Earth? That really is an amazing gift!
We can’t give gifts so big, but we can do our best to honor that special gift. Do you know the song O Holy Night? Maybe you can listen to that song to remind you of the amazing gift that comes on Christmas.
Day 25: 1 John 4:19
“We love, because He first loved us.”
Today is Christmas! Are you excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus?
It is the perfect day to show the love of Jesus to others. He showed us and gave us the ultimate gift of love by coming down to Earth and dying on the cross.
How can you show Jesus’ love to others today? Is there someone in your neighborhood, perhaps an elderly man or woman, who needs help around the home? Since you might be spending time with family and friends today, is there someone you know who needs to hear a kind word? How can you show love to your brothers, sisters, or cousins?
Don’t forget: you don’t need to wait until Christmas every year to show other’s the love of Jesus and give the gifts of kindness, friendship, mercy, and forgiveness. You can do this every day of the year!
Merry Christmas!
Free Printable
What do you think about the verses I chose and the explanations? I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to get your free printable!
The Shepherd’s Treasure Ideas
Looking for other ideas for your Shepherd? Here are some ideas that I used in the past:
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You can visit The Shepherd’s Treasure for more ideas or search #theshepherdstreasure on Instagram to get some inspiration.
Carrie Birkner says
I did not receive the free printable in my email. Is there something else that I need to do?
Marissa says
Hi Carrie, If you filled out the form in the post, you should have received an email from me. In the email there is a button to click on to download the printable as a PDF. If you didn’t receive the email, please let me know and I will send you the printable.
Carrie says
I did not receive the email.
Marissa says
Hi again!
I sent you another email last night with the download. I checked with my email provider and saw that you confirmed your subscription, so I’m not sure why the email didn’t deliver. Let me know if you got the download! Thanks!
Paula Bradley says
Hello!
I put my information to receive the free printable but I do not see it in my email. I added my email to your post but for some reason I did not receive anything. I hope I did it corrently!
Paula Bradley says
never mind! got it! thank you! 🙂
Marissa says
Glad you got it!
Elijah Moise says
Thanks for sharing this excellent collections of Bible verses! These are so helpful and these will really help me with my future Sunday School lessons. This is such an important topic and you chose excellent Bible verses.
Heather says
Hi! I really like this idea! I put in my email and name, but I haven’t received anything from you yet.
Marissa says
Hi Heather!
I’m so glad you like this idea! I checked on your free email, and it appears that the initial email was missed from me. I just resent it. You may need to check your spam folder. Please email me @ marissa@mommyknowswhatsbest.com if you don’t receive the email and I’ll send you the PDF.
Thanks!
Heather says
Got it! Thank you and enjoy the holidays!