I believe there is something important we can and should learn from every person God presents to us in His Word.
We meet one such person in the boBookf Acts. She is referred to as Lydia though we don’t know for sure if this is her real name or the name of her native city. We don’t know anything about her background other than that she was from Thyatira, and Paul met her in Philippi, a Roman colony.
Luke writes that he, Paul, Timothy, and Silas arrived in Philippi and stayed there for several days. On the Sabbath, they went outside the city gate by the river, where the Jews of the city gathered to pray. They sat down and spoke to the women gathered there.
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us” (Acts 16:14-15).
It is only two verses, but in them, we learn four important things about Lydia.
A Business Woman
Lydia was from Thyatira, where some of the best purple cloth in the world was made. Living in Philippi, Lydia had become a prominent businesswoman who sold purple cloth, which was much sought after throughout the Roman empire.
Her acumen as a businesswoman provided a large house and servants to care for her and her family. Her house itself must have been large enough to accommodate her family, their servants, and eventually, Paul and his three traveling companions as guests.
Her success as a businesswoman is especially noteworthy given the paternal dominance of Roman society.
A Spiritual Woman
The Jewish population in Philippi must have been small because there was no synagogue there (10 Jewish men were required to start a synagogue). Lydia, a proselyte to Judaism, joined with other women daily by the river outside the city to worship God.
As Paul spoke that Sabbath day, Lydia listened attentively, and the Lord opened her heart to receive the message spoken by Paul.
A Christian Woman
Lydia responded immediately to Paul’s preaching and was baptized as a believer in Christ. She evidently carried the news back to her household. Because of her faith and witness, her entire household became believers and was baptized.
A Hospitable Woman
Immediately after her baptism, Lydia insisted Paul and his three traveling companions stay at her house as her guests. Later, when Paul and Silas were released from prison, Lydia welcomed them back into her home (Acts 16:38-40).
Lessons from Lydia for Us
I see two essential lessons from Lydia for us today:
- Lydia responded to God. Most important, Lydia was a devout, spiritually open, and discerning woman who worshipped God. She went to the river and met with other believers daily to pray and worship God. She responded immediately to Paul’s message about Christ. Her enthusiasm for her new faith allowed her to evangelize the rest of her household.
- Lydia used her talents and gifts for the kingdom. First, she was a successful businesswoman. She continued her business in a Gentile-dominated world after accepting Christ. She did not leave her business to enter “ministry” but continued to run her business as a ministry. Second, Lydia cared for the saints. Lydia was a woman with the gift of hospitality who opened her home to Paul and his friends even after they bore the stigma of being imprisoned.
I can think of nothing more important to us as Christians today than to be diligent in our worship of God and to be open to His leading in our lives. And then to respond to the Lord’s leading by using our gifts and talents to further the Kingdom of God.
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you worked with or do you know a “Lydia?” Have you responded to God’s call on your life? Are you using the gifts and talents He gave you to further the Kingdom?
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Category: Personal Development | Character
I know a woman who is like Lydia. She has been my mentor for approximately nine years. She constantly encourages me and helps me further my walk with God. She is someone I can always rely on. She is someone who is a role model in my life, especially with how strong her faith is. I am still in the process on figuring out what God’s call in my life is. Also, I am still discovering my talents and gifts that God has blessed me with. The character of Lydia is one I can look to for help in discovering my calling and talents. Given that I am a business major, I can relate to Lydia and use her as an example of what a Christian business woman consists of.
One of the biggest struggles in my life is accepting my talents from God. Growing up in the church since I was born, I had this thought that since I am Christian I need to go into a field where I can openly practice my faith–missionary, pastor, etc.. It was not until a few influential women in my life sat me down and helped me figure out what I was talented in and what I wanted out of life. Working in retail does not always allow you in exercise my faith openly. It took me a while to understand that I can be as much of a Christian working in a non-Christian environment if not even more. I have now accepted God’s call on my life and plan to use the gifts and talents He gave me and apply them to my life and workplace.
This is a perfect example of a balanced individual and the type of lifestyle I strive to constantly live out. Even with everything she has going on at home and in the business world it seems like her focus is to live as Christ did. I love that although her appearance is small, her significance and the lessons that can be learned from her are great. During my college career specifically I have realized that living this way is not easy. It takes true dedication to pursue all of these roles well. She would be someone that I would love to have as a mentor. I also remember in one of my bible classes that we touched on the idea of how important hospitality was in ancient near eastern times and in the real world overall. It is not only an amazing opportunity to reflect Christ through these good works, but can be one of the most rewarding things one can do.