A Heart Like Tabitha's

One morning this week I read our children the story of Tabitha/Dorcas in our children's Bible (Acts. 9:36-42). Tabitha was a lady known and remembered for making clothes for widows. Her description in the Bible is quite neat.  
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
She got sick and died. The apostle Peter was called for.
...and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Peter kneeled down, prayed for her, told her to get up, she did and many people believed in Jesus because of the miracle that had happened.
I pointed out to my children that Tabitha used the things she was good at to help other people. She loved God, cared about other people and didn't only think of herself.
I showed them that this is the same reason their daddy has brought a building that he has made into a drop in center. It is the same reason their grandma and grandpa have many tourists stay on their farm. And it is the same reason a lady they met last week has spent her whole life working with the Aborigine people in Australia. It is the same reason many people make sacrifices in life--because they love God and care about other people. They want to share the good news they have found and help people.
Then we prayed, and I prayed that we would be like Tabitha and care about other people. Then we went on with our busy day.
A few hours later, something unusual happened which was completely unexpected and completely out of my comfort zone! We had an opportunity to show love to somebody, which we did.
It wasn't till afterwards as I was thinking about the unusualness of it, I realized that God had answered my prayer and helped us to care for somebody. I was able to call my children and tell them, "Hey, remember our story thismorning? We were just able to be like Tabitha and be kind to somebody!" It was pretty neat!
I have a long way to go in this area. I love my comfort zone too much! And it is so natural to be self-focused. But when I die, I would like to be remembered like Tabitha was. To be a person who was not focused on herself, but who loved God first and then shared His love at every opportunity, no matter the sacrifice.
What about you? What do you want to be remembered as?