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A word of warning: when you become someone who gives of themselves, you will find opportunities to give to people who REALLY need it.
My dad has raised me to be a man who puts other people’s needs before my own and to look for opportunities to help. Now, this is easy to do when it’s convenient: opening a door for someone walking with crutches, giving a guy down on his luck a couple dollars, taking a meal to a family with a new baby…
Recently, my family partnered with the organization Safe Families for Children (www.safe-families.org). Their motto is “A movement of families giving hope to children and parents in crisis.” But, what we have experienced is something more of “a movement of children giving hope and love to our family.”
Now, when it comes to the Real Stuff My Dad Says, he noticed how starved some children are for healthy attention. He also noticed how easy it was for my kids to give their “lap time with Grandpa” to their new friends and – even at their young age – to learn to put other people’s needs before their own.
Some people have asked me, “What’s the purpose of taking part with Safe Families? To help the kid’s mom take care of issues? To replace their parents for a short time?”
The truth is that it’s merely an opportunity for my family to provide a safe place for kids in a crisis situation. But it’s also an amazing opportunity to show God’s love to kids who otherwise would be subject to who-knows-what, and a perfect opportunity to teach my family the value of opening up our home and our lives to someone in need.
I encourage you to find out more information about Safe Families for Children by visiting safe-familes.org – not necessarily for you to sign up to be a host family, but, if nothing else, to hear inspirational stories of people selflessly giving of themselves, simply to help people in need… no strings attached.