Acts 16:13-15

“A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.” vs. 14

A man from Macedonia had appeared to Paul in a vision and asked him to come with the gospel. So Paul dropped everything, caught the next sailing ship and was there within a week. After searching the city for an audience, on the sabbath he and his companions went down to the river to pray, and there they found a group of women willing to listen. One of them was Lydia, already a worshiper of God, who eagerly absorbed what Paul had to say. Likely a person of wealth, (she was a dealer in purple cloth), she invited Paul and his friends to come stay in her house, which later became the center of missionary activity in Philippi. Paul could go to the home of a Gentile woman because he had been set free in the gospel from all the restrictive practices of Judaism. It’s interesting that the congregation that had its beginnings in Lydia’s house, under her leadership, became the faith community that was closest to Paul’s heart. His letter to them, written some years after his visit, reveals that he had a deep appreciation for them and always remembered them with deep thanksgiving for their love and generosity.

Thought for the Day: Why would a rich person respond eagerly to the gospel?