Don’t let your hang ups keep you from being like Dorcas. No, being a Dorcas is not an insult. A hang up that people often have is a fear or what others will think or them. No one wants to be seen as a Dorcas. In fact, Dorcas was a wonderful lady, known for doing good. She lived so well that God gave her the opportunity to live twice. Praise God! She lived, died, and then was risen back to life.
Seek God’s heart daily.
Dorcas was a person “full of good works and charitable deeds” (Acts 9:36, NKJV). Her spiritual gift was hospitality, also called the gift of “Helps.”
Let Your Light Shine
Because of Dorcas’ reputation for doing good, her death got the attention of the traveling Peter, who rushed to her bedside. He sent everyone out of the room and, then, spoke directly to the servant-minded Dorcas. As if she were still alive, he told her to “get up.” And, she did. So, the first person to rise from the dead after Jesus was a woman known for doing good. To me, this is exactly the description of someone to whom God would give a second chance; she was busy about her Father’s business.
Recently, I was teaching a lesson for the youth at church was about “Letting your light shine.” As I spoke, it came to me that I often repeat Jesus’ instructions about letting our light shine and I don’t often say, “This was an analogy.” We are not called to be literal lights. The point is for us to reflect the goodness of our Father in Heaven. Dorcas reflected the goodness of God!
Enlarge My Territory
The story of Dorcas brings to mind an important question: “How would I live differently if I had just come back from the dead?” What new perspective would this experience bring? I think my conversations would be different. I think my priorities would shift. This exact question, in a Bible study, many years ago that caused me to make this change in my life. I started praying the prayer of Jabez and asking God on a daily basis to “enlarge my territory” and “give me the wisdom and insight that I need for this day.” Yes, this question caused me to start a new habit; to seek God’s heart daily.
It is easy to get discouraged. No one can fix all of the problems in the world, but we can all do something. So, if you are overwhelmed by so many needs, start by doing something good for one person. Pray: Jesus, how can I serve someone today? He will answer that request!
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.”
1 Chronicles 4:10, NKJV
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see Choose Kindness.