Women of the Bible Lesson 2 Tabitha: A Story of Legacy

Acts: 9:36-41, There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 

So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. (NLT) 

Tabitha is only mentioned briefly in Scripture; however, I believe we can learn a lot from her life. I want to begin by taking an inventory of the facts given about her in Acts 9:36-41. 

Tabitha was from Joppa. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. She became ill and died. Her body was prepared for burial. Her friends summoned Peter from the nearby town of Lydda. They showed him the clothing she had made for them. Peter prayed. She opened her eyes. Peter presented her to her friends alive.  

That is a short list, however, one truth stands out about Tabitha’s life; she left a lasting legacy. Legacy is defined as: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.i  

Today we will be looking at leaving a lasting legacy. Our working definition will be: something that continues to exist after we go to be with the Lord. We will be looking at how Tabitha created the legacy she left when she died.  

First, she used the gifts and talents God had given her. Tabitha was devoted to good works and charity. Her occupation was seamstress. She used her income making talents to provide for the needs of others. She made clothing for the widows and the poor in Joppa. 

When Peter arrived the first thing he encountered was a room full of mourning women who showed him the beautiful clothing and coats she had made for them. It is obvious from this that Tabitha had blessed many people in her community. 

Proverbs 19:17, If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you! (NLT) 

James 1:27, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (NLT) 

We are commanded in scripture to care for orphans and widows.  Tabitha took these commands to heart and served those in her circle of influence.   

Second, she stayed faithful. We are not given any background information about Tabitha’s life. Was she herself a widow? Did she have a family of her own? All we know is that she was dearly loved by those in her community. This attests to her faithfulness. 

Acts 9 tells us that, “She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.”  The phrase always doing leads us to understand that her actions were consistent and not just a onetime occurrence.  

Proverbs 28:20a, A faithful man will abound with blessings. (MEV) 

Proverbs 3:2-4, Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (NIV) 

We can see from the account in Acts 9 that Tabitha’s faithfulness had indeed gained her favor and a good name within her circle of influence.  Even though they had already prepared her body for burial, her friends, upon hearing Peter was nearby, sent men to ask him to come.  They were not satisfied to say goodbye to their much-loved Tabitha but sent for Peter to heal her.   

Third, Tabitha built relationships. In Genesis 2:18, God said it was not good for Adam to be alone. God provided him with a helper, Eve. God made us to be social beings.  We need each other!  Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (ESV) We see this played out in Acts 9. Tabitha died and it is her friends, those with whom she has built a relationship, who fought on her behalf, fought for her very life. They summoned Peter, who they know can raise her from the dead. Without those friends, her life and ministry probably would have ended that day with her death and her story would not have been recorded in scripture to encourage us.   

Proverbs 17:17, A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (NIV) 

Proverbs 27:17, Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (ESV) 

Philippians 2:3, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (ESV) 

In the above verses we are reminded that we not only need friends with whom we can walk out this life, but we must put others above ourselves. We see in the life of Tabitha that she built relationships with those around her. She loved and was loved!  

Fourth, Tabitha made ministry a priority.  We know this because she “was always” doing good.  There are so many things in this life vying for our attention.  We must learn to prioritize them in order of importance, not allowing the unimportant things to prevent us from doing the most important things.  Ministry should rank toward the top of our list.  

“People were created to love God and each other. Additionally, when God created people, he gave them good work to do so that they might experience God’s goodness and reflect his image in the way they care for the world and for each other.”ii   

Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. (AMP) 

Our reason for being is to love God and to minister to the world around us. This ministry will look a bit different for each of us, however, the motivation behind it all is the same: to love others as Christ has loved us. Tabitha did just that and it showed in the deep sense of grief and loss felt by those in her circle of influence.  

Finally, Tabitha allowed God to use her.  1 Peter 4:10, As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. (ESV) God gave Tabitha the ability to create beautiful clothing. She, in turn, used this gift to make clothes for the poor and widows in Joppa.   

It was God working through Tabitha to minister to those around her. Philippians 2:13, For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (ESV)   

Dear friend, I don’t know about you, but when I die, I want those left behind to remember that all I did, I did for Christ. I want my life, like Tabitha’s to have counted for the Kingdom. I want to leave a lasting legacy that will impact untold generations for Christ.   

Tabitha demonstrated in her life that if we use our gifts for God, stay faithful, build relationships, make ministry our priority, and allow God to use us we can leave a legacy that will live on long after we reach Heaven!  May we make our life count today! 

I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:58, So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (NLT) 

Works Cited:

i https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legacy 

ii https://www.gcu.edu/blog/theology-ministry/dear-theophilus-why-did-god-create-world