The General Contractor

Any major construction job has a boss. He's the guy who takes the architect's plans and makes them happen. He's the guy who puts a building on the site. He's called the "General Contractor" (G.C.). He is the point man for the project. How does he get it all done? Well, actually, sub-contractors do most of the work. The G.C. will sign the contract to build the road, school, hospital, etc. which will specify parts of the job the G.C. will take care of himself. Then he will make contracts with many other tradesmen and construction specialists to do pieces of the job; a concrete crew, framers, brick layers, Sheet-rockers, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, etc. Then, under the supervision of the G.C., they will work together to complete the building project.

I believe that guy equates to my job as a Dad. I am the General Contractor of the character of my children. "Whoa there", you say "What about God?" In my analogy God is the Architect, the Designer. Remember Ephesians 6:4?

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath,
but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

I have full confidence in the Lord to do His part, it's my part I worry about. For instance, I sub-contract out my child's health care to Dr. George Eastman III. He is an excellent Doctor, and he is a man who has dedicated his life to becoming a specialist in Childhood heath. It seems to me, one great challenge of parenting is making wise decisions about what jobs we handle ourselves and what jobs we sub-contract out. You may choose to handle health-care yourself with alternative medicine. Okay, you are G.C., it's your call.

Four years ago, we fired a sub-contractor, the Prosper Independent School District, and decided to educate our children ourselves [yup, we're homeskoolurs]. You may choose to sub-contract Algebra, Science, & Early European Lit. education to your local School District. That too is okay because the Architect never spells out specifically who should set your child's broken elbow, or who should teach him Metal Shop.

But I have a more pertinent question. Who is handling the spiritual education & health of your children? "Hey, that's what we pay the preacher for." "That's why we send them to Sunday School." We sub-contract out their character development and eternal destiny. Oh really? I'm not sure I'm with you on that one Spanky. As I understand the blue-prints from the Architect, he specifies that my wife and I are responsible for that.

Whose job is it to infuse values into my children? Hannah Montana? Zack & Cody? The 'health & sex ed' teacher? Oprah? Harry Potter? Edward the Vampire? Child Protective Services? the Discover Channel? Brittany Spears? No, no, and no, it is me. "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord". Whether or not you teach them Algebra, teach your kids God's word. Don't 'send them to Sunday School', instead 'take them to church'. Then discuss the sermon, help them apply it in their own lives, let them see you apply it in your life.

Watch Hannah Montana with them and help them discern the good from the bad. Read 'Twilight' before you give it your teenage daughter then decide if it is appropriate and discuss it with her regardless of your decision. Dads, we are the General Contractors of our children's lives. We must pay careful attention to what parts of their lives we sub-contract out, and even then we must oversee and inspect the work that is done. If not, we may be heart-broken by a building that will be a hazard to itself and everyone around it.