The story of Lydia in the Bible: Characteristics and lessons we can learn

The story of Lydia in the Bible is a powerful one. This woman of such great reputation, class and wealth had an amazing conversion story. 

If she were to give her testimony today, it would make a great YouTube video. No doubt, she would have lots of empowering and encouraging messages for the women of today. 

We don’t have to imagine what she would say. Her story in the Bible speaks to us from the past.

Where in the Bible is the story of Lydia?

The story of Lydia can be found in Acts 16:13-15. Lydia is not mentioned in Philippians or any other book of the Bible.

The Biblical story of Lydia summary

According to Acts 16, Lydia was from Thyatira in Asia. She was a business woman and a believer in God. 

She traveled to Phillipi probably to do business. On the Sabbath, she found herself at a place of prayer by the river where a gathering of women only worshiped together. 

By God’s orchestration, Paul was told to go to Macedonia in which Phillipi was a province. He showed up at worship on the very day that Lydia was there. 

Paul preached about the good news of Jesus. Lydia believed and was saved. Her entire household was saved as well.

Characteristics of Lydia in the Bible 

The picture of Lydia in the Bible is one of humility, grace, and the power of God to save anyone from any walk of life.

Let’s explore some of the qualities of Lydia that makes her such an outstanding female character in the Bible.

Lydia was wealthy

Lydia was a city woman. She lived and worked in geographical areas colonized by the Romans. Phillipi and Thyatira were two of the most popular commercial and metropolitan areas of her time. Living in the city can bring many business opportunities.

Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth. A very successful merchant. She was basically in the fashion industry. Lydia ran an empire of sorts and she was the CEO.

Purple dye was extracted from either the root of the madder plant or the glands of shellfish found in the Mediterranean Sea.

Purple dye was considered luxurious because it was rare and would not wash out when it was used. Of all the dyes, it had the most value and, in those days, it could cost more than gold.

This was extremely expensive stuff.

Also, purple fabric was very important in Thyatira because it was used to make the Roman toga. So the fabric she made was in high demand.

Plus, she had two different homes in two separate cities which were not close to each other. (More on this later).

Bottom line?

Lydia was a financial mover and shaker. She was a business mogul with a more than descent fortune for which she worked very hard.

Lydia was industrious

Running a business takes alot of work. Making purple cloth was also quite a process. 

To make the dye alone took days and hours. Over 10,000 snails would need to be harvested from the sea then boiled in vats. This amount would make only 1 gram. That’s just one tiny part of the process.

Then to spin the thread and fabric. All of this was done by hand in those days. No machines.

It was no easy task to pull all the pieces together and then keep up with the supply and demand.

To think of this long, complicated but delicate process. Plus, Lydia was supervising people as well to make sure things turned out right.

Lydia had to work her tail off to make her fortune.

Lydia was a woman of imperfect faith 

Lydia was believed to be a Gentile but she had learned about the Jewish God and started to worship with the Jews. However, her understanding of God was still not clear enough.

She probably grew up being polythestic, which many Greeks were, believing that each part of creation and life was controlled by a different god.

But Lydia had rejected all of that and had been seeking for truth. When she met the Jewish faith, she would have learned that there was one God and this God gave the 10 commandments which help people to live decently. All these teachings were from the Torah.

But one critical piece of the picture of salvation was missing.

Jesus.

And so her faith was incomplete. That was until Paul arrived to teach her and the women she worshiped with. (More on this later).

Lydia was obedient 

After being taught by Paul, Lydia finally got the complete picture of salvation.

Learning about Jesus brought closure to what was missing from all she had been learning.

When she learned what God required her to do, she got baptized. 

This was the very first piece of evidence that Lydia had been converted by the gospel. Lydia did not question any further nor did she delay.

She immediately went about obeying the word of God.

Lydia was assertive and courageous 

Lydia was the leader in her household and the CEO of a flourishing textile business.

Any successful business woman has to be assertive. To be a merchant, Lydia had to know how to negotiate skillfully to ensure she was able to balance the books and rake in the profits.

Her assertiveness was seen also when she insisted that Paul and his friends board at her home. She almost forced them into taking up her offer of hospitality.

Then there is the matter of her choice to become a Christian. In those days, it wasn’t popular or cute to be a Christian. 

People who believed in Jesus were laughed at, punished and persecuted. But Lydia made the decision to follow Christ anyway.

Lydia was hospitable

The time Lydia received the gospel from Paul, she not only opened her heart but she also opened her home. Well, one of her homes.

Although Paul resisted, she insisted on it. She wanted to make these missionaries comfortable while they traveled and spread the gospel.

They would have a comfortable place to wash up, sleep, and access decent food to eat.

What a blessing that must have been!

Lydia was a woman of influence 

When Lydia found out about the gospel, she started a fire in her home. A good fire.

She went home and told her family and household what she had found. 

They all decided to accept the gospel too. She had such an impact in their lives that she didn’t have to work too hard to convince them of the truth she had found.

Lessons from Lydia in the Bible 

There are only a few verses about Lydia in the Scripture. But, what a legacy she has left for us to study.

What can we learn about Lydia in the Bible?

Mind your own business 

That was not meant to be rude. 

Let me explain.

Because the Bible is still being misapplied, some women in some congregations, whether married or single, are made to feel badly about wanting to run a business for themselves.

There are many women of faith who struggle with whether or not it’s OK to be a business woman.

Well, I’m letting you know today that there is nothing wrong if you want to be a Christian woman who is also a business mogul. 

The Proverbs 31 woman was just that. In fact, if they had lived in the same period of time in history, the Proverbs 31 woman would have purchased fabric from Lydia to make some of her clothing because she too was in the fashion industry.

Having a legitimate business that brings income for your family is God honoring.

So go ahead. Mind your own business if God has placed it on your heart.

Fight for your faith

The gathering that Paul joined at the place of prayer had no men.

According to Jewish law, a synagogue could only be established if they were 10 Jewish men. Then they, along with their families, would come together to make a congregation.

These women clearly didn’t care about that. They decided to fight for their faith.

Regardless of what the rules were, they were not going to give up on the possibility of having worship together. They were not going to allow the absence of men or the presence of man-made laws to prevent them from seeking God.

They seemed to say to themselves, “No men? No problem! We will still continue to honor God “

Circumstances are not always favorable but keep fighting for your faith.

Whatever you must to keep the flame of your faith alive, do it!

Find your tribe of women of faith warriors 

Lydia had been on a journey. Paul called her a God-fearer, meaning one who worshipped God.

As I said before, it was only women who were gathered on the Sabbath to worship.

This says something of the women assembled. They were all going after the same thing.

A real relationship with God that wasn’t built on how men say worship is supposed to happen.

Jesus said:

Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:19-20

Jesus never specified anything about gender. But He specified one thing: being like-minded and like-hearted.

This group of women reflected the spiritual searching and desiring God that Lydia was experiencing.

Find your tribe of women with whom you can agree about faith and prayer. There is power in being a part of a tribe. 

It is harder for the enemy to rob you of your destiny if you are among other women of faith warriors. 

Get into a community friend.

When you are ready to listen to God, He will show up

Lydia had been searching for the truth. God orchestrated the events of her life and Paul’s life so they could cross paths at the right time. 

If you read the entire chapter 16 of Acts, you will notice that Paul was prevented by God from entering other territories to do ministry. Then he received a vision that led him in the direction of Lydia. And that’s how he ended up in Phillipi. 

Lydia’s life and business were primarily in Thyatira. This place was not close to Phillipi. 

But God allowed her to be in town at that specific time and she ended up at that place of prayer on that specific Sabbath for worship at the very same time Paul showed up.

Talk about a divine appointment!

God had been speaking to her heart as only He can do:

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them… John 6:44

Now God saw that she was ready to take her faith journey to the next level that would move her towards complete conversion and action.

And Paul showed up to complete what God had been doing in her life.

As Paul spoke, she listened very closely. She was ready for this and God sent it.

You have to actively participate in your own rescue

God is always trying to get our attention. Always trying to draw us to Him.

But you know what?

We have a part to play in our salvation and our destiny.

Lydia found herself in worship, then she listened to the sermon. She zoomed in on the help sent by God and then made a conscious, informed, faith-based decision.

She responded to the conviction as God knocked at the door of her heart.

Faith is a gift from God. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast Ephesians 2:8-9

Not everyone accepts this gift. But Lydia did. She used the power of choice to choose God.

God will never force you to make certain decisions about your faith and your future.

But here’s what He will do: He will orchestrate events so that you can get the help you are in need of.

He will present you with options. Then, He will step back for you to choose.

Whether or not you want to participate in your own rescue is completely up to you.

God will part the Red Sea but you will have to use your own feet to cross.

He will allow manna to fall but you have to go out and pick it up.

He will give you the promised land flowing with milk and honey but you will have to go to war for it.

He will send the Holy Spirit but you will need to spend time in the upper room.

What part do you need to play today as God tries to offer you a sure salvation and mapped out destiny?

God can sharpen your intelligence and give you spiritual eyes

Lydia must have been a brilliant woman. Being wealthy doesn’t come by chance. It takes putting your brain to work and using both knowledge and experiences to pull off the kind of business she was running.

Yet, people like Lydia can be easily baffled by spiritual things. 

Why?

Because spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

Many people were so confused by some of the things Jesus said. Often, what Jesus taught either conflicted with what they knew or made absolutely no sense to them.

Take Nicodemus who didn’t understand what it meant to be born again and the Rich Young Ruler who could not understand that his wealth had absolutely nothing to do with his salvation.

But God gives wisdom to people so they can understand the truth of the gospel. 

He did it for the disciples.

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45

And He did the same thing for Lydia.

When the Bible says God opened Lydia’s heart, it really means He opened her intellect so she could process what she was hearing. 

God enabled her to understand. He gave her spiritual eyes to see the truth. Then he gave her a new heart so that she would be willing to receive and accept the truth.

God will do the same thing for you when it comes to Bible study. 

But if you are struggling in school with a concept or on the job with a project, trust God to open your understanding about those things too.

Ask Him for wisdom and understanding. Those things that are difficult for your mind to grasp will become so very clear to you after you pray.

I promise. God will open your mind in amazing ways.

Use your influence for good

Scripture doesn’t tell us whether Lydia was a mother or married or widowed. But we do know she had a household.

This household likely consisted of immediate and maybe extended family members as well as servants and employees.

When she learned about the Jesus that Paul presented to her, Lydia went home and gave everyone the good news.

Her entire household believed and got baptized.

The influence she had was quite powerful. Lydia must have treated them so well that when they heard the gospel from her, it was just as attractive as when Paul presented it to her. 

They were convicted and made a decision for Jesus.

Lydia used her influence to help those whom she influenced to understand what Jesus did for them. She reached those who were in her immediate surroundings first.

How’s your influence and ministry in your own home? Are those you’re living with convinced of Jesus by the way you treat them?

How about your neighbor next door or across the street? Based on how you live with your family, would they accept an invitation from you to attend a worship service or a church related event?

How about at work? Do those you supervise or work with know that you are different because of what you believe? Are they likewise influenced to adopt your behaviors because of how effective it has been in relating to people?

God is looking for women who know and understand their power to use it for His glory.

We should live our truth and our faith out loud

Baptism is a public confession of an inward change and a public declaration of a commitment.

Lydia did this. She was a wealthy woman of influence but she realized the truth about salvation.

Nowadays, many people are keen about telling their truth to everyone, whether it aligns with what God’s word says or not. We Christian women of faith need to do the same.

If you have come to believe in Jesus and what He did for you, make a public commitment. Find a church that believes in baptism and get baptized.

Then, include God in every aspect of your life like Lydia did. Her home and family and business made an about turn.

Start having worship in your home. If you have a business that lends itself to it easily, include God there as well.

If you’re a Christian and you have an audience or a platform, let people know about Jesus and what He did for you and what He can do for them. 

It’s easier than it has ever been in history to introduce Jesus to people.

Don’t waste the opportunity to share your testimony.

You would be surprised by the returns in terms of God’s blessings on your life.

Live a life of practical faith

Lydia was wealthy. As I said before, she was a merchant in the fashion industry and she sold some of the most expensive and in-demand clothing items.

As we say today, the sister had it made. She was rolling in dough.

But when the gospel reached her heart, she realized that her existence needed to be more than just making money.

She needed to use her means to serve people in other ways. She learned that it is God who enabled her to build wealth.

So she invited Paul and his friends in ministry to use her home for lodging and refreshing.

In fact, she insisted on it because they refused her offer.

But note this: this was just one of her houses. Remember she’s not from Phillipi. She’s from Thyatira. She was probably on business in Phillipi.

Rahab did the same kind of business. When she accepted the God of heaven, she opened her home to the Israelite spies and saved their lives by throwing off the Jericho scouts who came searching for them.

Our faith should not only be in our heads and our hearts. 

Our faith should be in our hands and our feet as well.

How can you make your faith more practical today?

Why is Lydia important in the Bible?

Lydia’s story is very important because it teaches us many things about God and what He thinks of the wealthy and of women.

Her story teaches us that even the wealthy need Jesus. We learn too that God wants women to get to know him personally.

Lydia’s character also reminds us of the Proverbs 31 woman who was a powerful and empowering wife, mother, and business mogul.

FAQS about Lydia in the Bible 

Here are some quick answers to some popular questions about Lydia.

What does Lydia in the Bible mean?

Lydia was a common Greek name which means travail.

Who baptized Lydia in the Bible?

On this missionary journey, Paul traveled with Silas and Timothy. The Bible does not tell us exactly who baptized Lydia but it is likely one of these three men.

Lydia is said to be the first person in Europe and the first Caucasian to become a Christian. 

Was Lydia in the Bible a pastor?

There is no biblical evidence to suggest that Lydia was a pastor. She became a disciple of Christ. That’s all Scripture reveals to us about her.

The death of Lydia in the Bible

There are no details about the death of Lydia in the Bible.

Final words about the story of Lydia in the Bible.

The life of Lydia has so many gems for us to appreciate. Her deep desire to serve God in the right way. Her tenacious search for truth. Her determination to make a commitment to Christ. Her ambition to run a successful business. Her kindness and hospitality to those who spread the gospel. What leaf will you take from Lydia’s book to apply to your life today?

Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creator’s expressed permission. If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post.