Lydia--the Catalyst


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Here we are: The end of the road in the series: Underappreciated Characters.

We end with Lydia of Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth.

Her story, as it takes place in the Bible is in Philippi. At the time, Philippi had no Temple because there weren't enough believing men to make it worth while, but Lydia and a group of other women are found praying by the River. Paul, Silas, and Timothy find her and the women she is praying alongside her and they shared the Gospel with her. Soon after, she and her entire household were Baptized. She invites them to her home as a place to stay while they were in town and it is assumed that her house served as the first church of Philippi.

That's about all we know about Lydia. She clearly isn't main character, and to be truthful, I'm struggling to write an entire lesson on her because of it. But she is important. She started a church for goodness sake but what I like about her is that she is a catalyst. For those who are unsure of what a catalyst is but doesn't want to admit it: Catalyst: it is a person or thing that precipitates an event. Synonyms would include: spark, spur, stimulus, stimulation.

She is the volunteer that isn't in the front but is doing so many vital things in the background to help make the show a success. Thus, Lydia falls into the category of under appreciated.

Lydia kept Paul & CO. in Philippi by offering them a place to stay, she started the church in Philippi and they didn't even name it after her, and she was the one to have her whole household baptized. She helped one of the most influential leaders of the Church, and the author of 13 books in the Bible. The story she serves in is one of my favorites: Acts 16:16-40. Paul is so sassy throughout the whole thing; being annoyed with demons, staying in jail when he could go free, and demanding to be escorted out of town by the Roman Government. I mean, seriously? Those are the stories that make the bible fun to read. More than Paul's sense of humor and sass though, this story shows unbelievable faith. He wasn't crying about being thrown in prison but instead lead worship and prayed so hard and earthquake hit! I don't think we give faith enough credit and this story reminds me of that. Why don't we rely on the Lord for more? Why don't we worship instead of worry? It sure makes you think, doesn't it?

Praying for you,
Jada

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