Grace Through A Seamstress

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"She was always doing good and helping the poor." —Acts 9:36

Bible Reading

ACTS 9:36-43

Devotional

The community of Christ does not make a big distinction between material and spiritual services. Both come from the divine source, and both aim at God's glory. It's all spiritual service, for one Spirit uses both.

The responsibility for mutual assistance is not limited to the officials of the church. All those who are reached by God's grace must be used to make God's grace flow.

Our gifts are not equal, and our usefulness is not the same. Dorcas was a woman who had the gift of helping—in the greatest possible measure. She was "always doing good and helping the poor." She was not one to content herself with making a thing or two for a needy person now and then. No, doing good works was a way of life for her. She was "full" of good works, as one Bible version puts it.

What a blessed woman! When we think of the many widows who exhibited the fruits of her love (the hats, the shawls, the dresses), we see a picture of a thank offering richer than the showbread that was lifted up to God in the tabernacle of the old covenant. These are the humble and honest thank offerings in the new temple.

The Christian church has a strong tradition of devoting a few hours of the first day of the week to the ministry of the Word and the service of prayer. Why don't we establish an equally strong custom of setting aside part of that day for the ministry of "doing good and helping the poor"? We would not want to limit the performance of such deeds to Sunday. Works of charity can be done at any time. But things that can be done at any time tend to be done at no time.

We thank the God of grace for all the quiet people who faithfully perform acts of love and mercy. We thank God for the grace that shows through the activity of their hands. And we trust that God will raise them up to live with him forever.

REFLECTIONS

Name some people in your congregation who faithfully and quietly perform acts of love and mercy. Give thanks for "the grace that shows through the activity of their hands."

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Well if you're reading this, chances are you know that this started out as a blog for the women at Crossweave, my old home church in California. So when I name the Carbajal family as those who faithfully and quietly perform acts of love and mercy, it will most likely come as no surprise. Also, Michelle Mhyro is another person who longs to do good things for those around her, at all times. Those are a few people who stand out in my mind. Of course there are more, but I just wanted to name a few. What do you all think? Grace&Peace.