I want to tell you about one of my favorite women in the entire Bible, though I have many favorites. Her story appears in seven short verses in the book of Acts. Luke tells us everything we need to know about the kind of woman she was. Her name was Tabitha. It would be so nice to sit down with a cup of coffee and hear more about her life.
She wasn’t a prophet or a queen. She didn’t deliver a famous sermon or lead an army. She was a “disciple” who made things with her hands and loved the people around her with everything she had.
In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
- Acts 9:36
A Disciple
If we read too quickly, we will miss this important descriptive word about Tabitha—disciple. Luke wants us to know she was a true follower of Jesus. This woman lived during Christ’s earthly ministry. I wonder whether she ever met Jesus, heard His teaching, or witnessed the miracles He performed.
Always Doing Good and Helping the Poor
We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the true message of the Gospel completely changed her life! Luke tells us she was “always doing good and helping the poor.” Not occasionally. Not when it was convenient. ALWAYS. It was simply who she was.
In the first century, widows were among the most vulnerable members of society—often without income, status, or anyone to care for them. Tabitha saw these women. She knew their names. She sat down with needle and thread to ensure they were clothed and cared for. She gave of her time and talent to show kindness and care.
Then Tabitha became ill and died. The community of believers in Joppa was devastated. They heard that Peter was nearby in Lydda, so they sent two men with an urgent message, asking him to please come quickly to Joppa.
Peter went with them, and when he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Tabitha had made while she was still with them.
- Acts 9:39
The widows were not talking about Tabitha but were instead showing Peter the robes and clothing she had made for them. Each piece of clothing was evidence of her love and care. These women had nothing to offer as a tribute to Tabitha except the garments on their backs, the very work of her hands.
Peter sent everyone out of the room, knelt, and prayed. Then he said simply, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes — and was alive. Peter called the believers and the widows back in and presented her to them. We’re told that “this became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord” (Acts 9:42).
Here’s what strikes me most about Tabitha: her legacy wasn’t stored in a building or written in a book. It was worn. It walked around town on the backs of women forgotten by everyone else. You could see it. You could touch it. Her love had texture and weight.
She also reminds us that our ordinary gifts matter. She didn’t perform miracles or write Scripture. She sewed. God used that to knit together a community so tightly that her absence nearly unraveled it — and her return led an entire city to believe the message of the Gospel.
Head to Heart
Maybe you have wondered whether what you do really matters. You show up, you serve, you give, you care—and it feels small and insignificant. It feels as if nobody’s keeping track.
The meals you cook for grieving families. The notes you write that someone reads a hundred times. The way you remember names and ask follow-up questions. The practical help you offer when others offer only thoughts and prayers. The garments you make, literally or figuratively, for the people in your life who need to be seen and covered most.
And here’s the thing — you don’t have to be extraordinary to live like Tabitha. You just have to pay attention to the widow in your neighborhood, to the young mom who is drowning, and to the woman at church who always sits alone. Tabitha’s whole life seemed to be built on one simple practice: noticing people who were easy to overlook and doing something about it.
Ask the Lord to show you one act of kindness you could offer someone today. Maybe it’s a phone call to ask how they are doing, then really listen to their answer. Perhaps you could write an encouraging note and mail it. It might be a meal, cookies, or a bouquet of flowers.
Be creative and do what you can. It doesn’t need to be extravagant. Keep it practical and simple. The Lord sees, and He will be pleased with the care you show others.
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