Acts 9:36-37 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
Dorcas was the Greek name of the Hellenistic Jew Tabitha. Hellenistic Jews were Greek speaking Jewish Christians who resettled in Jerusalem. Tabitha in Aramaic means ‘gazelle’. Gazelles are gentle, beautiful and extremely agile animals. Likewise, there was something very special about Dorcas. She was a seamstress and used her niche skills to make clothing for the poor, needy and the widows. She was busy sewing and knitting booties, mittens and sweaters for newborn babies, coats, jackets and cloaks for the elderly and dresses, shawls and shrouds for the widows.
Dorcas was diseased and died. Her friends washed her and prepared her body for burial but they sent word for Peter. 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 Dorcas had made while she was still with them (Acts 9:36). Peter went into the upper room, knelt down and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. (Acts 9:39). The life of Dorcas on earth was extended to continue to be a mother to the widows and orphans.
Dorcas was resurrected not for her benefit but to continue to be the hands of Jesus and to build the church of Christ.
Qualities of God’s Golden Girls:
1. Small: God’s golden girls/boys will be small in the eyes of men but significant in the eyes of God. Dorcas was not a prophetess like Deborah. She was not an intelligent Bible teacher, a pulpit preacher or a prayer warrior. She was a seamstress who dedicated her life sewing, serving and sharing the love of Jesus with her skills. Yet, she is the first woman recorded as a disciple in the New Testament – “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha”. The services marginalized by men qualify us as God’s disciples.
2. Skill: God’s golden girls/boys use their skills to bless others. The skills could be singing, baking, preaching, praying or cleaning. It doesn’t matter how impressive our gifts are, it is the way we use them that makes us attractive. There is nothing spoken about Tabitha’s family. She could have been a widow herself and could have had a tailoring business to fend for herself. Yet, she invested her talent seamlessly in serving the needy. Skills that are used to serve selflessly make us God’s distinct disciples.
- Significant: Significance and selfishness are two incomparable words. “Success is about us. Significance is about others.” – John C Maxwell. A disciple is someone who meticulously and audaciously follows the footsteps of their Master. Dorcas the seamstress pursued goodness and godliness with her insignificant role in the early church and became significant. Small is significant in God’s eyes.
The small, sidelined and insignificant disciples are God’s Golden Girls and Boys.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, help me to exhibit Christlikeness in my walk, talk and thoughts that qualify me to go on your golden list. Amen.
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