We rejoice whenever someone embarks upon a worthy pursuit, especially in service to others—from joining the military to serving a religious mission to volunteering in a humanitarian effort. We give thanks for their sacrifice as we imagine the countless lives that they will touch for good.
And we commend our loved ones who choose to serve. Often we even remind them of the timeless truth that in the course of such service, the giver typically benefits just as much as the receiver. Surely they will grow in character and compassion as a result of their labors. They will need such reminders on days when opposition is great and successes are few, and they wonder whether anyone is really benefiting from their efforts.
But there’s another group that we often overlook when we calculate the consequences of selfless service. It’s a hidden group we’ve never met—the unborn children and grandchildren who will someday hear of this caring service, whose lives will be forever enriched by a selfless example.
Whether or not our service takes us far from home, we are crafting the story our posterity will hear. One man died before knowing his grandchildren, but today they are growing up learning of his goodness, and they want to live up to Grandfather’s legacy, even though they’ve never met him. They are heirs to a rich inheritance indeed.
A mother, setting the example of helping her neighbors and people she meets each day, teaches family values to her children. Without needing a word of instruction, they will model their lives after the acts of charity she offered. And the tradition will live on as their children observe and emulate their parents as well.
Regardless of the service we give, there will be times when the blessings seem obvious and bountiful. But there may also be times when we feel lonely and unproductive. At such times, it helps to remember the far-reaching impact of our loving actions and kind deeds. Such service is almost always multigenerational in its blessings.
-Joni Hilton