Evidence of Your Faith

Kaitlyn Pfennig / Next Gen Operations Coordinator and Ministry Assistant

Recently I have been able to work on fixing up the house I am moving into. It's not just any house; it is the house that my great grandparents had built in the 1940s. This house has been home to only my family. When my grandma got married, my grandpa built a house next door for them. My house is the one my parents moved into, the house that my brother and I grew up in. There is so much history there.

As I fix the house up, I learn so much of what the house was like decades ago. From removing the paneling and the little paint spots above the doorframes, I discovered that the kitchen was blue at one point and several rooms in the house were painted pink. I also discovered that the one closet has a patchwork of all the paneling scraps on the walls. My grandpa made sure no scrap of paneling was wasted even the triangle pieces cut off from paneling the stairwell were pieced together. He was very resourceful. All this is evidence of what the house was like.

In the world we live in, it is more and more rare for families to pass on houses. I am very blessed to have this and see all the handiwork in this house. In a way, this house is a legacy my family has shared. However, this is not the most important legacy that is passed on.

Growing up, I knew what my parents and grandparents believed. They were always open about their faith. I did not have to search for evidence of the way they lived or what their life was like. They were all open and showed their faith in how they lived each day. Whether it was praying before each meal or in a time of need, I saw it. I saw their faith and devotion in the fact that their Bibles were in easy access, in the books they read, and the music they listened to. They were open to talking about God and sharing the truth and comfort found in Him.

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” Psalm 78:4

I may not have pictures of what the house looked like inside with each decade and paint job, but when I looked hard, I was able to find the evidence of the past. Your family, friends, and children should not have to look for evidence of your faith; it should be seen right in front of them. What you show as a priority and the way you live your life, will give them a clearer path to faith in the future.

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:

Pass on your faith in Jesus Christ. Share it. Don't make people guess and look for elusive evidence. It's ok to be the first believer in your family, but don't let that belief and faith stop with you. Make your faith be a legacy.