Lydia

A Wealthy Witness

READ Acts 16:11–15

Wealth and faith often seem to have a complicated relationship. The Bible says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” and that desire for money has led some to wander from the faith (1 Timothy 6:10). In his explanation of the parable of the sower, Jesus said that the deceitfulness of wealth can choke out the Word in a person’s life and make it unfruitful. When a certain rich young man came to Jesus asking about eternal life, Jesus told him, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor” (Mark 10:21). At the same time, the book of Proverbs praises proper use of wealth, extolling the virtue of saving and building wealth for the future (13:22). Jesus’ ministry was supported financially by women of means (Luke 8:3).

It seems, then, that the problem is not with wealth itself but with our relationship to it (1 Timothy 6:17). The question to ask is: Are we using our wealth and resources for God’s kingdom? Lydia’s story, in Acts 16, provides a biblical example of what this looks like.

In Macedonia Paul and his companions came to the city of Philippi, a prominent Roman outpost. It appears there was no synagogue in Philippi, because instead of starting his evangelism there like usual, Paul found a “place of prayer” by the river outside the city (v. 13). The people who were gathered for prayer were women from the city. Paul’s company sat and shared the message of Jesus with them.

One of the women was Lydia, a merchant who dealt in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to receive the gospel of Christ, and she and her household were baptized. Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay in her home. The fact that she was a merchant of royal cloth and is described as having a household suggests she was a woman of considerable means.

It’s likely that the church in Philippi met together at Lydia’s home (v. 40). In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, written from captivity, Paul thanked them for sending money to support him: “Not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need” (4:15–16). Paul did not name Lydia specifically in this word of gratitude, but it is safe to imagine that, being a woman of considerable means, she was a key part of this ongoing financial support.

Lydia’s conversion to Christ marked an inflection point in the growth of the church. She was the first European convert named in the Bible. Her story shows that having wealth is not itself a bad thing. God blessed Lydia with success, and she was generous with what she had.

Every Christmas season people demonstrate similar generosity by choosing an “angel”—a child or older person who they can then choose a gift for—off an angel tree. This is a special part of the holiday for the givers and for those on the receiving end. During the rest of the year, churches often help people who need a hand up, sustaining them during their hour of need.

What resources has God blessed you with? How can you use whatever you’ve been given for God’s kingdom? Consider practical ways you can support ministries and missions that work for righteousness and justice, whether locally or far away. This is not an onerous tax on what’s “yours”; instead, it’s a joyful act of participation in the shared kingdom work we’ve been given. Remember, every good and perfect gift comes from God, and those gifts should be used for his glory.

We each have different capacities to give based on our resources. Jesus said the widow who offered two copper coins gave more to the treasury than wealthy people who put in large sums (Mark 12:41–44). The amount is not the important thing. Our mindset is what counts.