True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NLT)

A Prayer for the Week:
Lord Jesus, we are truly rich because of you. Help us to be generous to others. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:17-18)

Mealtime Prayer:
God, we’re so blessed with what you’ve sent. May we be thankful and content. Amen.

A Blessing to Give:
May God keep you from wandering away. May God make you faithful, loving, dependable and gentle. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:10-11)

CARING
CONVERSATION
Discuss in your household or small group:
• Share about a time when you were in need and someone helped you.
• Jesus told a story about a rich man who didn’t help a poor man called
Lazarus, who lived at his gate. What happened to each of them?
• What are the needs of people in your local community? What help is
available to them? In what ways could you be more involved?

DEVOTIONS
Collect current news stories about people who are suffering from poverty or sickness. Talk about these situations in your home devotion times this week. Pray for the people affected.

SERVICE
Paul urged Christians to “be rich in good deeds and be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). Consider these ideas for encouraging a giving spirit in your children:
• Give blood. Take your children with you so they see you as a model
for giving. Talk to them about why you choose to donate blood and what it
will accomplish.
• Make birthdays charitable. Promote birthdays as a time for giving to others.
Encourage your children to give away used toys or books that are still in
good condition as they receive new gifts.
• Care for animals. At regular intervals, buy cat or dog food to donate to an
organization caring for lost or abandoned animals.
• Pitch in. Commit as a household to be part of the “worker bees” at your
church and to participate in church volunteer rosters.

RITUALS AND TRADITIONS
The change of seasons is a good time to go through our wardrobes and identify clothes that we rarely wear or no longer require. Make time as a household this week to sort through your clothes and set aside items to give away to a local charity or to a home that would appreciate them.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday.
We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passages.
Sunday Luke 16:19-31 Poor Lazarus and the rich man
Monday Revelation 3:14-22 Being rich or poor in God
Tuesday Proverbs 22:1-9, 16 The rich versus the poor
Wednesday Proverbs 28:11-28 Helpers of the poor lack nothing
Thursday Ephesians 2:1-10 God is rich in mercy
Friday Philippians 4:10-13 The secret of being content
Saturday Psalm 49 Riches do not endure
Sunday Luke 17:5-10 Faith the size of a mustard seed