Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. Acts 9:39
If you take Exit 118 off the Ohio Turnpike, and proceed to 9 Edison Drive in the city of Milan, you will arrive at the birthplace of Thomas Alva Edison, perhaps the most prolific inventor in history. In that museum (don’t go in January, but it is open the rest of the year), you will find many things that Edison would have seen himself as he grew up there. In addition, there are samples of many of his early inventions, and papers related to many of those items. All of that Edisonia provides a bit of a peek into Edison’s early days and his early work. Why would anyone want to go there? What would be the attraction? I would love to go there, and not just because I was born on the centenary of Edison’s birth. I would love to see things associated with a man who has made such a great difference in the world. That’s why people in our text brought things to show Peter: Dorcas had made a great difference in their lives.
Edison brought the world light and sound and dozens of other things. It would be hard to imagine a world that lacked the inventions of that great man. So it was in Joppa; many of the people there could not imagine a town without all of the kind deeds of Dorcas. The garments that she had made and the kindnesses that she had done were so important to them. No wonder they were weeping. No wonder they flocked to her wake to mourn and to remember what a wonderful person that Dorcas was. How they would miss her! She stands as an example of what we as Christians should be to those around us.
You and I will never light up the world like an Edison, whose work transformed the very society in which he lived. Dorcas did not actually transform the town of Joppa. But to some individuals in Joppa, she had been the means of much comfort and blessing. The Lord Jesus did not save us to have us change the world, or to change our nation, or to change our province, or to change our town. But he would have us make a difference to those around us, those who He brings near enough to us for us to help. One of the most wonderful aspects of your neighbours’ lives should be your presence among them. Just as Dorcas would never have done all of her kindnesses and almsdeeds unless she truly cared for the folks, so we will never be the kind of Christian neighbour or fellowworker or fellow traveller that the Lord wants us to be unless we love those people. For the unsaved, we need to love their souls and desire their salvation. For the disadvantaged, we need to see their needs and do what we can to help. To the unfortunate, we need to care and be on hand to share tears and bind up wounds of all kinds.
Those who benefitted from the loving kindness of Dorcas had many souvenirs to show Peter. How many souvenirs of our loving kindness will folks have to show at our wake? -Jim MacIntosh