What is Giving Alms?
If you are protestant (like us), giving alms sounds like something strange and old fashioned. It’s actually just another way of saying that you are helping someone. Giving alms is technically the act of giving to or helping the poor or needy. If you take it back to the olde english it originated from, it meant giving or showing mercy.
Why Should You Make Giving Alms Part of Your Lent or Easter Celebration?
The 3 goals of Lent are prayer, fasting, and giving alms. Whether you are practicing Lent as a Catholic or protestant, the Bible speaks clearly about doing good to others.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27 ESV
Unlike many other religions, Christians are not saved by our acts of kindness. We should however, be so in love with Jesus that we want to help others to show them His love and kindness. Our faith will move us to act.
Christians are not saved by our acts of kindness, but true faith will move us to act. Click To TweetWhat good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 ESV
Since Easter is the most important Christian holiday, it makes sense that we spend it trying to be more like Jesus. Aside from loving God, loving others is the greatest commandment.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 ESV
What are Some Easy Ways for Your Family to Give Alms?
There are lots of easy and meaningful service projects you can do with your children. Here are a few that we like…
- Clean out your house and take items to a charity.
- Collect change in a jar during Lent. Pick a charity to give it to at the end of the season.
- Make Blessing Bags for the Homeless.
- Choose a family to bless by making them a meal. Your children can also make them a card or draw a picture.
- Cheer someone up with flowers
- Give of your time and spend the day with someone who may crave your company–a grandparent, lonely neighbor, or someone at a nursing home.
Be Intentional
Giving alms is really a natural part of our lives if we are following Jesus. Take a little time to be more intentional about it this season. You will not only be helping others, but planting seeds in your children and creating world-changers.
How will you give alms this season?
This post is a part of the 40 Days of Seeking Him Link-Up. Check it out for more seasonal inspiration! Come find more link-ups here!
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Great ideas and love this point: “Unlike many other religions, Christians are not saved by our acts of kindness. We should however, be so in love with Jesus that we want to help others to show them His love and kindness. Our faith will move us to act.”
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Yes! I find that the definition of alms as “giving or showing mercy” helps us see that it isn’t just about money.
Just the other day, I heard the suggestion to give alms by writing a note for a different person in your life each day. Pray for them, then send the note to them. A small act of kindness that costs you time instead of money. Yet, you might have a huge impact on their life.
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I am not protestant but I learned something new. We don’t call giving alms we just encourage others to serve others. Whether it be lent (which I’ve never knew about either till your post last year) or everyday of the year. I glad that is the focus during this season for you guys I hope it’ll continue through out the year.
It takes so little but it can mean so much to just one
This was kind of convicting. I give to charity or help needy people all the time, but I tend to “do it in secret” and hadn’t really considered that I wasn’t giving my daughter the chance to learn about how to making giving just part of what we do.
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Another beautiful and encouraging post! There are so many ways to give and encourage others. It is beautiful when we love like Jesus loves!
Love your point that Christians are not saved by our good deeds, but we do them because we love God and others. So true! And thanks for sharing these ideas.
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Good ideas for teaching your children to give to the poor. Such an impotant thing to do, and not just at Lent.
Thanks for sharing those practical tips on how families can engage in giving alms. I will be putting to use a couple of those this season.
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I would love to hear about what you do!
“We should however, be so in love with Jesus that we want to help others to show them His love and kindness.” <– AMEN!
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Prayer, fasting, giving alms – that should be a normal part of all of our lives as Christians