Lydia – A Pioneering Woman: Carving Out New Ways to Serve

Text: Acts 16: 11-15

I have always been drawn to the brief story of Lydia in the Book of Acts. For me, she is the picture of a modern woman and there is much we can learn from her. She was a busy woman who ran a business, was the head of a household, and still took time to gather with and to pray with other women. Spirituality was an important part of her life and she knew that powerful things happen when women pray together.

Last week I wrote about nurturing and taking time for yourself. Lydia was a woman that recognized the importance of this. In the midst of running a business and managing a household, she took the time to nurture her spiritual core through prayer and worship. She knew that gathering together with other praying women was a powerful way of connecting with God and with one another. It was at just such a gathering that Paul appeared, bringing his message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lydia heard his message and became the first recorded Christian convert in Europe – by being the first, she set an example and pioneered the way for other woman to join the Christian community.

She pioneered the way not only by joining the fellowship of believers, but by making a generous offer to Paul and his colleagues. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” Not only did she provide food and shelter for these missionaries, but she offered her house as a home church. Lydia stepped up and met a need. In a time that was dangerous to do so, she offered her home and her resources to advance a cause. Her leadership challenges us to consider ways that we can provide leadership in our own communities. We may not be business women or have her resources, but women everywhere start and nurture ministries, businesses, non-profits and more. We can do the same.

One of the most inspiring women I have known did just such a thing. After going through a nasty divorce, she found herself a single mom on welfare. She had no formal education and no money. But she did have a passion for helping children who were suffering the effects of divorce. With nothing more than a desire to help others, she approached a church with the idea of creating a program that would help children deal with their feelings following their parent’s divorce. What resulted was an enormously successful program that resulted in a safe place for children to vent their feelings, a program used by churches across the nation, a book, and financial independence. She combined her passion for ministry with her work and she followed Lydia’s example by using her resources, as limited as they were, to meet a need. She carved out not only a career and ministry, but an opportunity to live, thrive and make a living on her own God-given terms.

I would encourage you to unlock your minds and hearts and give some thought to your gifts and passions. How can you use your resources to meet a need? How can you create a career, a ministry and a way to thrive on your own God-given terms? Dream about ways you can carve out new categories of work and service. Then act on those dreams. How will you use your gifts and abilities to benefit not only others, but in the long run, yourself? It’s what Lydia did. We can, too.

Consider the following:

1. What opportunities do you have to join together with other women to pray?

2. Think of women who have served as pioneers for you. How have they paved the way for you? How have they inspired you?

3. How are you paving the way for other women?

4. What are your dreams? How can you carve out new opportunities for work and service?

If you would like to share any of your thoughts, I would love to hear them. Please feel free to leave me a comment.

A note to MVS – Lydia’s House. The dream lives!