A Life of Service
“There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.” -Acts 9:36 (story continued through v.42)
Prior to her death and resurrection, we’re told nothing of Tabitha’s job, family, home, income, or appearance: only what she did for others. This speaks volumes to those of us peering in on Tabitha’s story. Her life was worth redeeming, not because of who she was or what she’d accomplished, but because of who she lived for.
Research tells us that Tabitha was a well known seamstress in her community of Joppa. After her death we learn “The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing [Peter] the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them” (Acts 9:39). While it’s likely many in her vocation chose to profit by making garments for the wealthy and elite, Tabitha used her creative gifts to clothe the poor and vulnerable. Women, particularly widows, were low on the social totem pole. Wrapping them in newly crafted clothes gave them a sense of dignity in a world where they had none. Her impact on these women resonated with Peter, a disciple of Jesus; after raising Tabitha from the dead, he challenged social norms and called in the widows first to witness her resurrection (v.41).
My thirteen-year-old daughter, Providence, is incredibly gifted at drawing and painting. Recently, her former teacher lost her teenage son in a car accident. Providence wanted to help but wasn’t sure how. What could possibly comfort a grieving mother? “I don’t have anything to offer, but maybe I can paint her a picture of her son,” she told me. She set to work with her pencils and watercolors. The next day she mailed her creation to her teacher with a tender note of sympathy and prayer. A few weeks later we learned how Providence’s artwork ministered to a hurting family. I encouraged Providence to continue seeking opportunities to use her gifts and talents for God’s kingdom work, to bless the brokenhearted.
In her vocation as a seamstress, Tabitha never forgot who she was creating for. Her ability to sew and create garments was more than a way to make a living, it was a ministry. We all have the ability to make something purposeful; may it be so.
Study & Reflection: What abilities and talents has God given you? How are you using your creative gifts to bless others, to bring beauty and dignity to those in need?
Read the entirety of Tabitha’s story (Acts 9: 36-42). What impact did Tabitha have on her community and on the kingdom of God? What can you take away from her story and apply to your own?
Prayer: Lord, may we seek to help the poor, the vulnerable, and the disregarded with whatever gifts and talents You’ve given us. Show us opportunities to bless those in our community with what we have, even if it doesn’t feel like much. Remind us that our work here on Earth is dim in the light of the Kingdom work You call us to. Help us not to seek fortune or fame or the praise of others but to seek only to serve. May our legacy be that who we help.