Mothers of the Bibleනියැදිය

Lydia: Radical Hospitality

One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. —Acts 16:14-15, NIV

We don’t know a lot about Lydia, but what we know from these two verses is impactful.

She was from Thyatira, a city in Asia Minor. She was the first Christian convert in Europe, and interestingly, she was not from Europe. There’s a wonderful backstory about Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts 16:1-10: Paul thought he would go to Asia Minor, but God gave him a vision of a man in Macedonia. It is in Macedonia, in the city of Philippi, where he meets Lydia.

She was a dealer of purple cloth. She was a businesswoman with a profitable enterprise. Purple was a color of royalty and worn by people of means, which signifies that Lydia was likely wealthy as well. We also know that she had a home, which further hints at her upper-class status.

She was a worshiper of God. When Paul found her, she was gathered with the Jewish women who were praying (Acts 16:13). Bible scholars believe that she was not a Jewish convert, but that she believed in God. Her heart was open to Paul’s message about Jesus, and she believed he was the Messiah. She and her household were baptized on the spot.

Lydia used her home to house Paul and his missionary team. Without hesitation, she demonstrated radical hospitality toward these brothers in Christ, whom she had just met. We know Paul was accompanied by Silas, Timothy and Luke, but there may have been others. The size of their group didn’t make her hesitate; she persuaded them to stay with her. How amazing that the origins of the church in Philippi, the first in Europe, came from this time at her home.

We don’t know if Lydia had children, but we do know that her radical hospitality nurtured many. She put her faith into action, and it resulted in something amazing. She used her resources for the advancement of the Gospel, and she was a spiritual mother for the early church.

With Lydia as our example, let’s be encouraged to have radical hospitality to those around us: to neighbors, coworkers and strangers. Let’s also think of ways to extend generosity and hospitality toward those we interact with most: our MomCo sisters, our extended family, our husband and our children.

Challenge: How can you open your home and heart to others this week?