I grew up totally loving the Berenstain Bears and all their lovely adventures. And now that I’m a parent I would love to share these tales with my boys and have them love them too!
Grownups do have money worries – with insurance, mortgages, health coverage, gifts, food, diapers, etc. But, how do we teach our children about money and possessions and what God has to say about them?
In this children’s book Papa and Mama bear notice that their cubs didn’t make good choices when it came to the money that they had and how they used it. They spent it on frivolous items at the mall. Fleeting joys. They teach about saving for a rainy day – but that isn’t exactly what the Bible teaches us. The cubs don’t keep the money for themselves, they instead give it to Papa Bear so he won’t have to worry. Generosity is a loving characteristic.
Here are some teaching points about money when reading this book to your children:
1. God is more concerned with our eternity than our financial status. Ecc 5.10
2. We are not to be OVERLY concerned and worried with the cares of this world. Matthew 6.24, 31-33, Hebrews 13.5
3. Our money is not meant to be hoarded, but spent wisely and given generously. Deut 15.10, Deut 16.17, Luke 6.38, 2 Cor 9.6-8
4. God gets the first of everything. Prov 3.9-10
5. The gospel is more than money because you can’t take money with you into eternity. 1 Tim 6-7-10
6. God owns everything. Our lives are about stewardship. 1 Chron 29.14-17