Generations of Giving: Compassion in Action
In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks strongly to the religious leaders of his day. He warns against a faith that seems impressive but fails to live by God’s commandments. Jesus says of the scribes and the Pharisees,
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.”
Then Jesus reminds us that God’s ways are countercultural:
All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
As we begin Thornwell Emphasis Month, we are asking a simple but important question:
What does it look like to live out true faith and to pass that on to the next generation?
True faith is not about looking compassionate. It is about practicing compassion.
It is not about judging others. It is about helping to carry them.
It is not about elevating ourselves. It is about giving generously.
For more than 150 years, Thornwell’s story has been written by people — and communities of faith — who lived counterculturally, who embodied humility, compassion, and generosity. For generations, Thornwell’s partners and friends have decided they would help meet the needs of children and families instead of turning away.
The needs of children and families have evolved over the years. Thornwell’s programs have evolved, too. But the heart of the mission remains the same: to answer God’s call to care for all God’s children — to help carry burdens that are too heavy to bear alone.
That is the legacy we celebrate during Thornwell Emphasis Month, and it is a legacy everyone is invited to be part of! For generations, churches have gathered around this mission — praying, giving, serving, advocating, and sharing Thornwell’s story with others.
Because of that legacy, passed on through generations, children discovered safety and belonging. Families found healing and support. Communities experienced renewal. And it doesn’t stop there. Love multiplies. Hope is contagious – “it is a torch passed from hand to hand so the dark cannot win.”
That is generations of giving.
It is one generation showing the next what it looks like to love our neighbors.
It is faith modeled through obedience to God’s commands.
It is learning generosity by watching someone else give faithfully.
This month, we will share stories of this legacy — stories of generosity, service, compassion, and transformation. Stories of people who have invested in Thornwell and stories of children and families whose lives have been transformed because someone chose to care.
Because Thornwell’s story has never been written by one person.
It has always been written together.
And there is more work to do. The needs around us are real. The burdens are real. But so are our opportunities AND our ability to respond with compassion. Jesus calls us not simply to talk about compassion, but to practice it. Not simply to notice burdens, but to help carry them. Not simply to call ourselves Christians, but to live lives that reflect the love of Christ.
May we be people who love.
May we be people who give.
May we be people who carry one another’s burdens.
And may the faithfulness we practice today become a legacy for generations to come.
This Thornwell Emphasis Month, we invite you to be part of Generations of Giving by prayerfully considering the way that God is calling you to engage with meeting the needs of children and families. Through prayer, giving, or serving, your partnership with Thornwell this month—and all year long—helps “tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear” for children, families, and communities.