Did you know that some estimates say from the dawn of the human race until now there have been roughly 108 billion people? That is a pretty staggering number. But what I find even more staggering is just how few of those people are ultimately remember by history.

So many people who were no doubt pleasant, charming and generally lovely to be around have simply disappeared into the sands of time. Their names lost to us, maybe forever. Those very few names that have remained with us, those people that we feel compelled to still tell stories about are so often giants in the things they have accomplished.

After sharing stories about people who seem larger than life: people like Esther, Naomi, and Miriam I worry that I leave the impression that God only makes use of amazing people. That somehow we are of less value because we won’t likely be called upon to do such amazing things. That is why I am grateful for today’s notable biblical women;

‘I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.’ – Paul (2 Timothy 1:5)

What do we know about Lois and Eunice? Not much. Eunice married an unnamed Greek man and they had a son named Timothy. Lois is Eunice’s mother. She may have also married a Greek man because Eunice is a Greek name. But than again so is ‘Christopher’ and my father is not Greek.

The only other things that we know for sure about Lois and Eunice is that they took their faith seriously, and they wanted to pass on that faith to Timothy. We also know that they did so marvelously. When Paul met Timothy he already had a strong faith, and gifts for leadership he just needed a little coaching to figure out how to use them.

Lois and Eunice didn’t entertain kings, or cross the Red Sea. They simply lived their lives with their faith on display for their family to see. The bible contains this teaching;

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up

Sometimes I worry that we have made the process of passing on faith to complicated. We have professionalized it to the point that to many of us think that the pew is better suited than the kitchen table to reach the next generation. Even if the next generation is sleeping in the room beside ours.

Lois and Eunice remind us that God doesn’t require giant acts of faith to change the world. He simply needs faithful people living faithfully in plain sight. He needs us to influence the people closest to us in simple loving ways.