In I Timothy 6:18, we read these words: Command that they do good, that they be rich in good works, generous, willing to share, and laying up in store for themselves a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of eternal life. (MEV)
Paul is writing to
Timothy, his son in the faith, and instructing him on what he should be
teaching to the church in Ephesus. Someone, upon reading this verse, remarked
that it is telling us to enjoy being a blessing to others for in so doing we
are laying up eternal riches that will far exceed any sacrifice we may make
down here.
As I contemplated
this verse in reference to widows and, always seeking to inform my writings
with biblical examples, I thought of Tabitha, the story of whom is recorded in
Acts 9:36-42. She was a follower of
Jesus Christ who became ill and died.
Her death so upset the people of her church in Joppa that they sent for
Peter to come.
The scriptures don’t say exactly why they sent for Peter, but it
does tell us that when he arrived the widows could only take him to where
Tabitha’s body lay, and then through their weeping point out to him the many
garments that Tabitha had made. The scriptures describe her as being full of
good works and acts of love. The scene seems to be that of a group of widows,
who traditionally were among the most impoverished in their culture, totally
distraught at the death of this generous, loving woman and looking to Peter
whose miraculous works were well known, as if to say, “We can’t survive without
her. Do something!” And he did. He sent
them out of the room, and prayed over her and God raised her up.
Tabitha has left
us with quite a legacy and example of how to live out the injunction of I
Timothy 6.
As many of you know, the FNF chapters in New Jersey and Florida have
“adopted” twelve widows in India and send a monthly stipend to them through the
Kerusomen Gospel Ministries. They have
selected what are known as “orphaned widows,” those with no family to help
them; in fact, many times they have been totally abandoned by their families
and left with no means of support.
These American widows initially took on the
support of five orphaned widows and that group has grown to twelve.
Dotti Ackerman, director of the Florida chapter, asked her widows to give a Christmas gift in the amount of $5.00 per widow above their regular stipend. Dotti relayed the following story to me:
As many of you know, the FNF chapters in New Jersey and Florida have
“adopted” twelve widows in India and send a monthly stipend to them through the
Kerusomen Gospel Ministries. They have
selected what are known as “orphaned widows,” those with no family to help
them; in fact, many times they have been totally abandoned by their families
and left with no means of support. Dotti Ackerman, director of the Florida chapter, asked her widows to give a Christmas gift in the amount of $5.00 per widow above their regular stipend. Dotti relayed the following story to me:
One
afternoon when I was at my dentist’s office, he inquired how everything was
going with me, knowing that I was undergoing cancer treatment. We had developed
a special bond as both his mother and sister were cancer survivors. I told him
about my widows’ group’s support of the widows in India and how we were wanting
to send them a monetary gift at Christmas as well as gifts to Pastor Sahaya
Simon and his family who oversee the ministry. My dentist Dr. Ralph asked me
how much was needed, and then gave me enough American dollars to cover monetary
gifts for the widows and gifts for the Pastor and his family. The $55.00 my
widows collected covered the cost of mailing
the gifts.
the gifts.
Dotti was elated
as she shared this story of God’s provision. Her widows gave sacrificially and
God moved on the heart of Dotti’s dentist to go beyond what Dotti could ask or
think and a dozen widows and a pastor’s family in India will be the grateful
recipients.
John Wesley made the following a rule for his life and I pray that each of us will too.
Do
all the good you can,
by
all the means you can,
in
all the ways you can,
in
all the places you can,
to
all the people you can,
as
long as ever you can.
However, I don’t
want you to think that by doing good you somehow earn God’s approval. Oswald Chambers beautifully says it, “Christian character is not expressed by doing
good, but by God-likeness. It is not sufficient to do good, to do the right
thing. We must have our goodness stamped by the image and superscription of
God. It is supernatural all through.”
In other words, our acts of love and service are prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit who indwells each of God’s children. Pray that God will open your eyes to ways to show His love through acts of generosity and service each day.
In other words, our acts of love and service are prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit who indwells each of God’s children. Pray that God will open your eyes to ways to show His love through acts of generosity and service each day.
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| Message by Shari Hervold |
