"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase" (Proverbs 3:9).

Every year the daffodils were the first to push their green leaves through winter's cold earth in our flower bed. My daughter and I both looked forward to their annual spring arrival after the long winter. Not only were we blessed as the army of bright yellow blossoms began to form, but we anticipated the joy of sharing their beauty with others. Short on finances, giving away our daffodils was one simple, but welcomed way that our family could bring hope and love to family and friends. Our motivation to keep them fertilized and free of weeds came from the promise of future smiles that we would see from those who would receive a bountiful bouquet.

Using what we have to be a blessing to others is a reoccurring theme found in the Bible. As Christian school educators accustomed to tight budgets, we often find ourselves with a need to be more resourceful. Through making the most of what we have, we are encouraging children in our care to bless others with the resources at hand. My favorite Bible stories to illustrate this lesson came from the widow who fed Elijah bread with the last of her flour and oil (1 Kings 17:12), the poor widow who had only two small coins to give to the church treasury (Luke 21:1-4), and the young boy who gave his two small fish and five loaves of bread to Jesus to feed over five thousand people (John 6:9). Each is a clear example that God can use anything to bless others if we simply give it to Him.

Do you have great ideas that you would love to implement in your Christian school, but are constricted by tight budgets? Don't despair; look around instead and open your heart to God's creative ideas. Maybe you can bring seeds you've collected and teach your students about the world around them by sowing a flower garden on your campus. Your time and wisdom are of the Lord's gifts to you that, like the loaves and fishes, are multiplied when shared with your students. Let the Lord lead and use what you have to be a blessing to others. When you see a smile appearing on a face or the satisfied look of understanding, you'll realize that you've received the greater blessing.

Lord,

Thank You for the blessings that You've given to this school and our community. Help me to teach our students to think of others and to open our eyes to see the storehouse of resources that You've made available to bless us. In Jesus' name, Amen.