Sharing faith an in-house activity

Made in the USA…That is just one of the phrases that seems to be seen less on tools, toys, cameras, cell phones and televisions that we buy. Last week I bought an inexpensive plastic measuring spoon sets. On the back of the tablespoon measure: Made In China!

I was interested in what kinds of things are shipped from overseas for Americans to use. So I began some research.

I found that even though goods are made in other countries for American consumers, we often “outsource” things right here in the United States because businesses perceive that outsourcing will be more efficient than taking on jobs in house.

The legal term for outsourcing is: the transfer of specialized functions and the relocation of complete operations (USLegal.com).

In addition, I pulled up some old business digests and read further. I found that if a person has a business and the accounting duties seem to be too much to handle, that person can outsource to accounting services to get out the payroll and deal with the government taxes. A doctor might want to outsource the cleaning of her office. A restaurant owner might outsource laundry services for napkins, tablecloths and kitchen towels. A university or college might outsource food services.

Even though outsourcing is done by many companies, some do the opposite and perform certain duties “in-house.”

Yet the most important segment of that article made me stop and think. There is a big distinction between outsourcing and in-house concepts. When something is done in house, there is a connotation that the function will now be done properly. When something is outsourced, there is a connotation that it will be done cheaply (USLegal.com)

What about passing your faith on your children? Are you outsourcing or doing it in- house? What about developing the habit of mediating on God's word with your children? Are you outsourcing that job or are you doing that in-house? What about talking about the things of God to your children? Are you outsourcing that job or doing it in house?

Could it be that parents today depend on their children to pick up the tidbits of faith here and there from the world? It is admirable and a good thing when a local high school club performs a project for the needy. It is refreshing to hear that school age children raised so much money for a child who needed certain expensive medical treatments. It is uplifting to read that an athletic team chose to visit the very ill children in the hospital.

Yet, if parents depend on those kinds of activities to teach and instruct their children in the ways of the Lord, those activities will fall short. Parents should consider passing on their faith as an in-house activity. Other activities should just then add to the spiritual foundation that the parents build for their children.

I read this profound quote just last week from an anonymous twitter. It read: You cannot "outsource" the passing on of your faith to your children. “How true that is!

An example of faith passed on to children and grandchildren is found in Paul's words to Timothy: “… your honest faith-and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you!” (2 Timothy 1:5)

Focusing on the things of the spirit will take more effort. Daily Bible reading, worship and living out the gospel all a sincere effort on the parents’ part. But don't outsource it — do it “in-house” and grow spiritually together.