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The women who traveled with Jesus were not included simply to perform domestic tasks, they were called to share the good news, also. We have no excuse not to give our all to Jesus. Just like the women during His time had little say, and at times, very little means. But they still surrendered everything to Him, especially to express gratitude for His miraculous work in their lives. We may feel as though our time has passed as we watch our children step into ministerial roles, yet, this didn’t stop Mary and Salome. “Success should be measured not by how many disciples are made, but by how many disciples are making other disciples” ~ Bill Hull.
You can't be concerned or worry about how others evaluate your calling or godly gifts, you don't need to consume yourself by trying to measure up to others or make comparisons to them. Keep in mind that never stopped the Old and Testament women of faith, they remained confident and faithful in their callings. No matter what are social background is and probably even felt the weight of their legacy, of being someone’s sibling or son or niece or grandchild. We struggle to meet the expectations that come with those roles, especially as our families, ourselves, and the world change. Tabitha’s story is the story of a woman who very likely did not “fit” the family mold. “Ultimately, Jesus calls his disciples to make disciples, who will make disciples. It is through this factor of multiplication that Christianity has grown and spread into every nation of the world” ~ Dr. Craig Kraft.
Some scholars think Tabitha was a widow: she was living among and caring for widows, her husband or children are not named, and she devoted her attention to serving the church. Some scholars think she was an unmarried young woman, perhaps even a formal benefactor, occupying a role of significance and status in a patronage society. However, she was a member of the early Church and was a seamstress well-known and loved for her service to the poor and needy. Also called Dorcas in the scriptures, she lived in Joppa, a small town by the Mediterranean Sea that lay northwest of Jerusalem, where she grew sick and died. Many people mourned her death, including other members of the Church and the widows she had served. Tabitha in the Bible was a faithful disciple of Jesus and was devoted to good works and charity. She led a benevolence ministry. She made clothes for the widows and the poor. She always did good and helped those in need. Tabitha purposefully sought out the poor and widows and actively looked to see how she could help meet their needs. In the first century, when female activities generally centered on daily survival for themselves and their families, Tabitha engaged the needs of her community. Her lifestyle showed that love is an active verb intent on doing good for others. The first of our principles of Biblical entrepreneurship is this: prioritize. God is the source of all that you can do & accomplish in business. God is the one who will have His will accomplished in the end. So, your best bet for success is to cooperate with Him. Tabitha was a disciple who followed Jesus’s teachings about how to treat others. She made clothes for the widows and the poor. She always did good and helped those in need. “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them” Acts 9:36-38 (NKJV).
Luke’s account of Tabitha focuses on her ministry (to use a modern term) to two groups: the poor and widows. In Biblical times, the designation widow meant a woman whose husband was dead and who had no means of financial support; therefore, she needed both protection and physical, legal, and financial assistance. Then, suddenly, Tabitha got sick and died. Two men were sent to urge Peter to come to Joppa. Tabitha was placed upstairs in preparation for burial, and her friends and the widows were there mourning her passing. Not only did Tabitha affect the lives of those around her before she died, but she also touched even more souls after she rose from the dead. She was healed by the Savior’s power in the hands of an ordained Apostle; her renewed life was a miracle, a testimony of Him. Her story of being healed strengthened the faith of those who heard it, and because of her, “many believed in the Lord”. In this story, we encounter a faithful disciple who helped others and who received the help of God when she was in her time of need. Tabitha left behind a legacy of love and service by helping those around her, especially the poor and needy. In the scriptures, she is described as a woman “full of good works and almsdeeds”. Like Tabitha, we can share our testimony of Christ’s healing power with those around us, and perhaps their faith can be strengthened too. Our testimonies need not always be borne at the pulpit on fast Sunday, but they can be borne in our homes, at school, or at work through our words, kind actions, and generous service. “Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord” Acts 9:39-42 (NKJV).
Tabitha is not praised for the typical womanly virtues of her time or of today's modern woman who runs a good household, or for being quiet, chaste, graceful, pure, or delicate. Her good works are not directed toward her husband or her children but toward her larger community, her very real family. Tabitha is a reminder to us that women have always played a crucial role in serving, growing, and leading the church. “The Great Commission was given by Jesus to all and every Christian, not only to pastors or missionaries” ~ Cristina Boersma.
Lastly, in Tabitha’s story, the same dynamic is at play. But in the new family of God, it is not just the biological sons of these women who have responsibility for them, who are obligated to care for their needs, and who can serve them in intimate and significant ways. No, in this story it is an unrelated woman. She is raised for the sake of her family—the family of God. Tabitha’s story is an example of the high value of women in the church, the importance of treating each other like the family we truly are, and a reminder to live oriented toward the kingdom of God. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV).
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