Hilkiah the priest could never have imagined that as he raised his family in Anathoth, he was rearing one of his nation’s greatest prophets. He may well have recognized a tender sensitivity to the Lord in his youngster, and he might have been aware of his keen mind. But he could never have dreamed that thousands of years later, his son’s writings would continue to be preached and taught and studied by people around the world.
Jeremiah did not emerge as a solitary figure. He descended from a family that served the Lord. He had a godly heritage. Hilkiah may never have known that his single greatest contribution to humanity was the son he ushered into the world. But that is often the case.
At times we may wonder if our service for the Lord is of any consequence. It may seem that we are making little progress for God’s kingdom, despite our best efforts. Yet we must always be aware that, if we have children, there are eyes observing us. They see how quickly we turn to God when we are in distress. They watch our faith and confidence in our Lord. They know if we are a hypocrite. And, one day, they might choose to take what they saw in our life, and go to an entirely new level in their service of our God.