Mary's Singer Sewing Machine

 

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. (Acts 9:36-41 ESV).

 

Recently Mary decided she would like to begin to sew again. When we moved from Tennessee we sold her sewing machine. She has used Brandy’s sewing machine a time or two, but it just wasn’t quite like the machine she had grown up using. Brandy’s machine was fully digital and honestly much more complex. Of course, it did many things that her old Singer didn’t, but sometimes bigger is not better. Mary began to look around on the web to see if there might be something more like her old machine. Wouldn’t you know that she found the exact model and was able to purchase it! It is a Singer Model 403 (pictured here), manufactured in 1958, though hers was purchased new in 1961. It has all the manuals and attachments. I can’t wait to see her first project.

 

Seeing it reminded me of a wonderful story in the Book of Acts, our reading today comes from that passage. It is about a woman named Dorcas. She was often found busy making clothing for others to wear. When she died, the local widows stood around Peter, “crying and showing him the robes and other clothing” that Dorcas had made for them. She obviously had taken to heart the Law of Moses that said, “If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them” (Levititcus 25:35).

 

That was in the days before so many programs to help people in need of clothing. It’s wonderful that there are some safety nets in our society today. But there are some downsides to the systems we have today. Many don’t know any poor people, and the poor tend to sink into a state of “out of sight, out of mind.” Some have even come to believe it’s the responsibility of the government take care of the needy. However, that’s not the teaching of Scripture. It encourages us to have a heart to help the poor and needy. Our churches can help with programs to feed the hungry and to give shelter and job training to the homeless. But it all starts with having a heart of love, like Dorcas.