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"My stuffed cat, Cecil, and I would like to invite all the young people to come join us on the steps at this time." So do I begin yet another children's sermon, trying to add a little variety by including the stuffed toy in my invitation, the name of the cat coming to me simultaneously with the thought.

As the children settle down, I ask one of them to hold "Cecil," to whom I have attached a "leash" of rubber bands. As I hand the cat to Marie, I keep my fist closed around the end of the "leash." Before Marie has an opportunity to notice the rubber bands, I give them a tug. Surprised, she nearly drops the toy.

"What happened?" I ask, as she now clings more tightly to the stuffed cat.

"There's a string of rubber bands attached," Marie replies.

"A string of rubber bands? Oh, like a leash ... and when I handed you the cat, I didn't let go of the rubber bands, did I?"

"No," Marie answers, cringing as I continue to maintain tension on the "leash."

"So, I didn't give Cecil to you completely, did I?"

"No," Marie acknowledges.

"What would I have to do to make it easier for you to hold Cecil? What would I have to do to give him to you freely?"

"Let go of the rubber bands!" several children answer in chorus. Marie winces noticeably at their suggestion.

"That's right," I answer. "In order to give completely, I need to let go -- very gently, so as to not pop Marie with the rubber bands." Marie grins and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Well," I continue, "the reason I brought Cecil this morning to help me with this little demonstration is that I wanted to talk with you today about 'generosity.' That's a big word. I wonder, do any of you know what it means?"

Tina, seated on the back row, politely raises her hand. I nod to her and she says, "Being nice and giving."

"Yes," I agree. " 'Generosity' means giving, being generous. Does it mean giving completely or hanging onto what you give?"

"Completely," the children assure me.

"So, if I give you something with strings -- or in Cecil's case, rubber bands -- attached, am I being generous?"

"No," the children answer.

"Well, I wonder, does anyone know what the opposite of 'being generous' is?" I should have seen their answer coming.

"Not being generous," comes the very practical, literal response.

It is difficult not to laugh as I continue. "Not being generous ... that's right. Another word for that is 'stingy.' Is that a word any of you know?" The children admit familiarity with this word, usually applied with regard to competition with siblings over prized personal possessions.

"So, when I asked Marie to hold Cecil but kept holding onto the 'leash,' I was being stingy. There are many ways to give something to another person, and some of those ways are not generous but stingy. If I give something out of the goodness of my heart, out of love for someone else, I am being generous. But I might also give out of a sense of duty, a feeling that it is something I have to do. In that case, I would be holding back, not giving completely. I would not be completely happy about what I was doing, and whatever I gave with that attitude would still be tied to me. My unhappiness would keep me from letting go of the gift.

"I might also give something to another person out of a sense of pride. For example, if I was walking along and found Tommy here had fallen into a ditch, I would help him out, and helping him would be a gift to him. If I did that just because I love Tommy as a fellow human being, that would be generosity. But if I did it only so others would see me help and think what a nice person I am, then I would be helping out of a sense of pride. I would be helping Tommy, not because he needed help, but because of what I would get out of doing it. That's a very stingy way to give too, not generous at all.

"Our example of how to be generous comes to us from God. God gave us his only son, Jesus, with no strings attached at all. God gave to us completely just because God loves us so much and wants to be with us. And Jesus showed us how to live generously, giving from the heart to any people who asked it of him, regardless of who they were or what society thought of them.

"Jesus gave himself away to people who were sick, poor, hungry, tired, dishonest -- people from whom most folks back then turned away. Jesus didn't judge them; he only answered their cries for help, their needs for acceptance and love. He gave himself completely away with no thought of getting anything back. He gave himself to them and he gives himself to us, with no strings attached.

"That's what Cecil and I wanted to tell you about today, how to be generous like Jesus. When you give someone a gift, give it completely, from your heart. Just let go, out of love."