Deborah is the grandmother of Tobit. She raises him after his parents die. She teaches him about their faith, training him in the regulations Moses received from God and taught to the people.
She also instills in him a deep generosity. Not only does he give what is required to the temple, priests, and Levites, but at her encouragement, he also gives 10 percent of his income to poor people in Jerusalem and another 10 percent to orphans, widows, and converts to Judaism.
Thanks to his grandma’s influence, Tobit has a heart to help others. While most grandparents don’t have to raise their grandkids, most every grandparent can influence them.
How can we be sure to make the most of our opportunities to inspire others?
[Discover more about Deborah in Tobit 1:6–8 in The New Jerusalem Bible, Common English Bible (CEB), and New American Bible (NAB).]
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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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