doing good and helping the poor

Repin, "The Volga Boatman"

Fourth Sunday of Easter - April 29, 2007
Acts 9:36-43

Apart from the fact that Peter resurrected her from the dead, what strikes me about this passage is who Dorcas was: someone "who was always doing good and helping the poor." So many of us have our focus only on our careers: we want to be known as someone "who had an important management job". Is this really a worthy calling? Who will care once you retire? I can name the current CEO of my company and with effort can recall the name of the former CEO. Yet rather than being a CEO, I would much rather be counted in the company of Dorcas. No wonder Peter made a special trip to bring her back for a second round of joyful service.

I feel great joy when I think about the good we were able to do as missionaries in Siberia, and the good we are continuing to try to do there while now living stateside. I feel great joy when I think about taking my sons out two Saturdays ago for Scouting for Food, and being part of a record gathering of food for the hungry.

I often feel that I'm not doing enough good or doing very much to help the poor. I could do more, and by God's grace, I will. Yet in reflecting on what I have done, I can see that it's not that hard to do something, and in this I rejoice. Might all of us have the joy of doing something good this week, and helping even one among the poor.