There are so many fascinating
stories in the bible. Stories of great men and women that keep one wondering
how God in His mercies could use mere mortals to accomplish such great deeds.
Some of these stories are extremely amazing and we find ourselves as Christians
making constant reference to them over and over again. Take the story of Moses
for instance. I got to know about Moses even before I could read and write. I
remember a certain Evangelist preach so enthusiastically about Moses in one of
the crusades I attended as a kid. On the other hand, some other bible stories do
not get so much prominence. The story of
Dorcas (Tabitha) is a perfect example (Acts 9:36-43). I knew her name because
my maternal grandmother was named Dorcas but apart from that, I didn’t get to
learn much about her magnanimous acts until I became a conscious Christian.
The bible did not mention that
Dorcas is a wealthy woman but yet, she makes the poor a priority. It was not
stated either that Dorcas is selective in whom she shows her acts of
compassion. As far as Dorcas is concerned, anyone who needed help got it.
Whether the recipient had the power to return such favour is not important. Can’t
stop wondering how this woman stands out among a group of loving disciples who
are dedicated to extending the love of Christ through sharing. One of the
commentaries on the life of Dorcas outlines that Peter did not just raise her
from the dead so that the people of Joppa would believe in the Lord but that
Dorcas might continue to help her beneficiaries.
As Christians, we are admonished
to always remember the poor (Galatians 2:16). After all, what is Christianity
without looking after orphans and widows (James 1:27). Now, it doesn’t matter
if you have been discouraged a couple times from helping people, the story of
Dorcas teaches that it pays to do good always. Do good always and your story
might just have a happy ending just like Tabitha’s.
Photo credit: John Hinde Collection
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