My daughter has two money banks. One is her own where she puts pennies and other spare change that we give her every so often. The other is a jar that we started during the Advent season to raise money to help the Dahlit children in India. Usually when we go grocery shopping, Aneliese helps pay and then keeps the small change to take home for her banks. I hold both and she puts the money in, one at a time. Always for the “children” before her own bank. Plink. Pause. Consider. Plink. Pause. Consider. See what is left in her hand. Plink. Pause. Pause. Inspect. Then slowly she turns to her own bank as if still trying to decide. Plink. Usually only one ends up in her bank. I never remind her of what the “children” need, I don’t want to guilt her into sharing and I know that she remembers because she talks about them. Every time we go through this I am encouraged, convicted, and challenged. Encouraged because my two and a half year old understands in her little way how to care for others. Convicted because as I count out our grocery money, I am giving what is left. As I watch her face, I can see that she wants to add more to her own bank and yet every time up until now, she chooses to give the coins to those who need it more. Challenged because one of the goals that I had set for myself this year was to get better with finances so that we could be more generous and while I still want to do that, I realize that sharing with others is for now not for later when I have everything under control. Thank you little daughter for the life lessons that you are unconsciously imparting.