Lent 2025 Day 29

Lydia, Businesswoman and Seeker of God
Acts 16:13-15 | 2 Kings 4:1-7

Lydia is a remarkable figure in the early church: a businesswoman, a seeker of God, and the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. Introduced in Acts 16, Lydia is described as a “dealer in purple cloth,” which would have placed her among the wealthy and well-connected in Philippi, a Roman colony. But beyond her economic status, Lydia is a model of spiritual openness and bold discipleship. When Paul and his companions encounter her by the river outside the city—a place of prayer for women and other God-fearers—she is already oriented toward the divine. And when the Gospel is shared, her heart is opened.

Lydia’s conversion is immediate and expansive. She does not ask for more time or wait for consensus; she chooses baptism and brings her whole household along with her. Her faith is not just inward—it is embodied in action. She opens her home to Paul and his companions, establishing what many consider to be the first house church in Philippi. In Lydia, we see how conversion leads to community, and how faith moves outward into hospitality and shared life.

This impulse toward hospitality echoes the story of the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7, who, though facing scarcity, is invited by the prophet Elisha to trust God’s provision. She gathers vessels, pours oil, and finds that there is more than enough. Her faith becomes a channel for divine abundance. Like the widow, Lydia responds with trust and action—making space for God’s work to multiply. She uses what she has—her resources, her home, her leadership—to nurture something sacred.

The sacred economy of the kingdom of God is not based on accumulation, but on generosity, trust, and the willingness to pour out what we have. Lydia’s story teaches us that faith and commerce are not mutually exclusive when directed toward God’s purposes. Her business acumen becomes a blessing, her household becomes a sanctuary, and her hospitality becomes a vessel for the Gospel.

Lent invites us to open our hearts as Lydia did—to listen eagerly, to respond wholeheartedly, and to pour out what we have in service to others. Like the widow who found oil in her trust, and like Lydia who opened her home to the apostles, we are called to hold what we have with open hands and trust that God can multiply it.

Reflection:

• What does it mean for you to open your heart to the Spirit, as Lydia did? 
• Where might God be inviting you to pour out what you have, even if it feels small? 
• How can your home, your resources, or your influence become a vessel for hospitality and sacred community? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: Open my heart, Lord… Exhale: …that I may pour out in love.

May this Lenten season stretch our faith, renew our trust, and teach us the sacred rhythm of receiving and giving.

Amen.