This article arrives third in a series examining five spiritual maturity indicators for children's ministries that all begin with the letter G—Grace, Growth, Groups, Gifts, and Good Stewardship. We've already looked at Grace, heard about Growth and Groups, so now we'll grab hold of Gifts and Good Stewardship.

The human hand performs many miraculous tasks. Unlock a door, type on a keyboard, or turn the thin pages of a magazine—all require precise, coordinated motions that happen without much attention. Hands also play important roles in a life of faith: folding them to pray, clasped with others in Christian community, even raised as part of worship in some churches. Yes, our hands do plenty.

And those same hands make their largest impact when extended to lend help (Gifts) or to give away something valuable (Good Stewardship)—because those moments reveal the abundance of a heart devoted to God. In children's ministry, we believe that God touches hearts of any size, so the ...