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Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
What is your love language? As a freshman in college, I heard my Bible professor ask our class if we knew that God had a love language. Most students silently stared at him while a few glanced around the room to observe puzzled facial expressions. Our professor smiled, opened his Bible to Hebrews 6:10, and read, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” One of God’s love languages is acts of service for His people. Since then, that verse has become one of my favorites because it helps me understand how to love God—serve His people.
My friend lived out that verse in the following school year. During finals week, Lydia asked if she could come over to my dorm before our health and safety check. Even though I was feeling overwhelmed and busy packing for spring break, I said that she was welcome to come. When I walked into the living area, I discovered that she had washed all the dirty dishes and cleaned the toilet for all the girls in our suite. What kind of a friend does that? A true friend. I almost wished she hadn’t because I did not feel deserving of her friendship. However, I am so thankful that by what she did, she taught me about service.
Years ago, I read a book entitled Love Does. That title has stuck with me because of the clarity of its message. Love is busy. Love is active. Love is not simply having good feelings for someone. Love does. Before the Passover Feast, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). When He had finished, He tells them, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (13:14). Galatians 5:13 teaches us, “[we] were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Instead of pursuing self, pursue serving brothers and sisters in Christ.
Romans 12:9-13 highlights serving others as a characteristic of love. It says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Let’s focus in on verse 10. Can we honestly say that we are lovingly devoted to our Christian family?
Devotion to our Christian family requires action. Faith without works is dead, as we learn from James 2:17. James explains that the combination of Abraham’s actions and his faith in God is credited to him as righteousness; “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (2:22). James emphasizes this point again in verse 24, teaching that “a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” Unlike the demons’ belief in God (as described in verse 19), true belief in God will manifest itself in our actions. Jesus teaches, “Whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27-28).
Earlier in Matthew, Jesus teaches us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things [food, drink, and clothing] will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33). When we look at our lives, what fills our time? When we look at the weeks and weekends on our calendar, what do we see? Are we busy seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness? Or have we become more consumed with social media, hobbies, traveling, sports games, and entertainment? If we truly assess how we spend our evenings and weekends, we may find that we are giving too much of our precious time to the pursuits of this world rather than storing up treasures in heaven.
We might not be spending our time doing something sinful. However, our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). If Satan cannot convince us to abandon our faith, he may very well distract us from living out our faith. Let’s not allow even the good things of this world to keep us from following our Lord. Let us “be very careful how [we] live—not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:15-16). Let us redeem our time by helping the Lord’s people and thereby showing our love for God.
#IronRoseSister #HIStories #service #action #lovelanguage #guestwriter #blog
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Written by Carolina Pérez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in New York
Many knew her. She was not a famous woman who was on television, in newspapers or magazines. She didn’t sign autographs, nor drive luxurious cars, but her service in the community where she lived benefited many and they knew very well who she was. She was recognized anywhere she went. Men and women spoke well of her, rich and poor sought her out. One day, she died, quite suddenly, but even her death favored the people around her. How absurd, right? But it’s true.
Yes, this is the story of a humble woman named Tabitha, better known as Dorcas. This woman was, without doubt, one of the most well-known women for giving a class or women’s conference on the topic of service. Almost everyone, at one time or another, had heard of her. You might be thinking, I already know this story! However, let’s see if we can discover together a little more about her.
Acts 9:36-42 narrates this unusual story. (Later, you will know why it seems unusual and you may agree with me.) As an interesting fact, her name means gazelle. We note at the beginning of the story that “she was always doing good and helping the poor” (v. 36). This helps us understand that these were not sporadic or occasional acts for Dorcas, but rather it was her way of life. It was a common thing in her day-to-day life; it was a part of her. Surely, she alluded to her name since a gazelle is agile and quick. She served others with promptness and without giving it a second thought.
She had a good reputation in her city and was a woman known in society because she helped anyone that needed economic or physical help—she sought the good of others. We don’t know her economic status, but everything she did, she did from the heart. We don’t have any information about how she came to hear the gospel and accept Jesus as her Savior. However, we can see that she that she was a woman of faith. That may seem like a hasty conclusion, but this is what we see through her works. In James 2:14-17, we can see that the evidence of our faith is our works; they cannot be disconnected. Dorcas possibly understood this concept perfectly and didn’t hesitate to put it into practice.
The Scriptures say that this woman fell ill one day and passed suddenly. What generally happened in that time was the body was prepared for burial immediately because decomposition of a cadaver doesn’t wait, especially in a warm climate. But what the people that were with her did in that moment is an untold part of the story: They washed her body and they put her in a room. They knew that the apostle Peter was in the nearby city of Lydda. They called him because they were sure that he could do something. They were all saddened by Dorcas’ death, which is normal when someone who has done so much for the community loses his or her life. What comes next is the resignation and acceptance of the loss of the beloved person. To the contrary, the people that loved her, hoped for a miracle, one like those they had heard of when they heard the gospel.
They sent two men urgently to search for Peter, and after telling him what happened, they begged him to come without delay to see her. When they arrived, there were many people crying and lamenting the loss. And here we can highlight the beautiful ministry this woman had. Verse 39 says, “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.”
In those days, the widows were one of the social groups with least privilege; if they didn’t have children or family nearby, they were completely helpless. Yet we can see that they were not unseen by this disciple. She gave them clothes and possibly even taught them about sewing that they might, in that way, have a source of income and avoid begging in the streets, which is what often happened.
So, the apostle, upon seeing the scene, had compassion on them and, asking everyone to leave the room, prayed to God asking for the miracle that the people hoped for. The Heavenly Father responded positively to their request and, in accordance with His will, raised Tabitha. Thanks to what happened, “many people believed in the Lord” (v. 42). Who would say that even in her death, this woman was going to serve? Doesn’t this seem unusual and even a little crazy that her death has been used as an instrument for the salvation of others? This is how God works in hopeless situations, in the most mysterious ways, all for His glory.
This woman’s work was so noticeable that her story is registered in the pages of the Bible so that we can tell it and learn from her today.
What impact have you had in the place where you are—be that your home, your neighbors, your work, your school, etc.? Are you serving with love? When you pass, what legacy will you leave? How will you be remembered?
May the Lord help us to be true servants to His glory.
#IronRoseSister #HIStories #service #Tabitha #Dorcas #servefromtheheart #guestwriter #blog