TABITHA: The Woman of Charity

 

When the time comes for us to leave this world, how will people remember us? If you asked the people Tabitha helped, they would show you the clothes she had lovingly made for them while she was still alive (Acts 9:39).

THEY PRESENTED THE CLOTHES TO PETER

Tabitha—also called Dorcas—was dearly loved. Scripture describes her beautifully: “She was full of good works and acts of charity” (9:36). She chose to care for the poor and widows, those considered lowest in society. The ones forgotten by others were not forgotten by her. She even made clothes for them. Imagine the compassion this woman carried in her heart!

So when Tabitha fell ill and died, the people who loved her refused to let go. They dared to hope for the impossible. Learning that Peter was nearby in Lydda—just about four hours from Joppa—they immediately sent for him (9:38). In those days, the dead were usually buried before nightfall, so there was no time to waste. They did everything they could to bring her back.

When Peter arrived, he was taken upstairs, where the widows showed him the garments Tabitha had made. By displaying those clothes, they revealed both how much they loved her and how deeply she had loved them.

PETER PRESENTED TABITHA TO THEM

Peter asked everyone to leave the room (9:40). He had recently healed a paralyzed man in Lydda (9:34), but raising the dead was a far greater request. I can only imagine the tension in that moment: outside, mourners wept loudly, waiting to see if God would answer; inside, Peter knelt in earnest prayer. And then the miracle happened: “Turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up” (9:40).

This scene echoes the time when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35–42). Jesus spoke the words in Aramaic, “Talitha koum!” (5:41). Here, Peter most likely spoke Aramaic as well, so his words would have sounded almost identical: “Tabitha koum” (Acts 9:40). Yet there is a striking difference: the mourners around Jairus’s daughter doubted what Jesus could do (Mark 5:35, 40), while the mourners around Tabitha firmly believed God could do the impossible (Acts 9:38–39).

And God honored their faith. Just as the widows showed Peter the garments Tabitha had made, Peter now presented Tabitha herself—alive again (Acts 9:41). What a miracle! But the greater miracle followed: “Many people believed in the Lord” (9:42). Life upon life—miracles upon miracles.

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This story does not guarantee that God will always raise our loved ones when we ask Him. I myself once prayed for such a miracle, but God, in His wisdom, chose not to grant it. Yet Tabitha’s story shows us something equally powerful: even the simplest acts of service can leave a lasting impact. Her garments became living testimonies of her love. And when she was gone, people remembered her not for wealth or status, but for her kindness, her faith, and her service to others.

Someday, when we leave this world, how will people remember us? What “garments” will they hold up as evidence of our love? May they remember us, as they remembered Tabitha: as people who loved the Lord and loved others. Stay Curious.