Guest blog post by Lacey Rabalais : mother, blogger, and Bible Study leader @lacerab.
There are many biblical references to who we should be as women. If you had to pick a description of a biblical woman you’d probably go straight for Proverbs 31. Right? Isn’t that the most famous description of what a Christian woman should be? There’s nothing wrong with holding on to those characteristics, God intended for us to learn from those scriptures and to be women of biblical character.
Hidden in the Book of Acts, Philippians, and Revelation is a woman who was hospitable, loved God, and had her own business, Lydia. There’s discrepancy around if Lydia is her given name or a descriptive characteristic about where she is from, but either way the Lydian or ‘Lydia’ has a small place in scripture, a large place in the history of the church, and a giant place in the knowledge we can gain.
The disciple Luke is the author of Acts and he details the history of their teachings. Acts is a book of adventure and bravery of people expanding the Kingdom of God. In Acts 16, Luke writes that Paul has a vision of where they should go. So because they are so obedient, they go. Throughout their travels they go to Macedonia, more specifically Philippi, a Roman colony. On the Sabbath they go looking for people worshipping and find women, one of which is Lydia. Luke describes her as a “seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God”
She had a product and she was selling them. The history of the location is that it was a great area to dye garments. So there she was, selling her products, worshipping God, and also opening her home to other women and the disciples. She was a Jewish woman that had her eyes and heart opened by God after hearing Paul preach. She was baptized as well as her loved ones.
Characteristics of Lydia include business woman, devout, hospitable, serving, caring, believing, and Christian. In Revelation 2:18, Paul writes of an angel of the church in Thyatira. There’s belief that this is him referring to Lydia. He says her latter works exceed her first works. So we can learn that even her works as a businesswoman are noticed and valued, her works as a Christian are exceedingly more important.
Our work here is purposeful. Is it just about profits? No!
God has given us gifts unique to each of us and our lives. He’s called us to things, big and small. Having a heart for God can change how we do business and how we serve others with our lives and businesses.
“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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