EquipHer Vol. 34: The “Boss Businesswoman” of the Bibleনমুনা

The Multiplication Effect

“And after she was baptized, along with her household, she urged us, saying, ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” (Acts 16:15, ESV)

The first fruit of Lydia’s faith was a tangible decision: She opened her home and made it available for other believers in Philippi. That open door became a gathering place, a space of comfort, and a ministry hub for Paul’s mission. When Paul and Silas were released from prison, Scripture tells us that “they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them” (Acts 16:40, ESV).

Lydia did more than offer hospitality — she invested in a relationship of trust with Paul and his companions, recognizing that their encounter was a divine opportunity. She understood that honoring that connection meant participating in something greater than herself — and that willingness made her an active part of the Gospel’s expansion in Europe.

This aspect of Lydia’s story allows us to uncover the second principle of success according to God: Generosity is the seed of influence. Whatever you make available to God becomes a tool for multiplication.

Generosity creates space — space for God to move and for people around us to grow. It builds relationships, allows ideas to flow, and replaces competition with trust. In a world where resources are often used to gain advantage, Lydia teaches us that when resources are placed in God’s hands, they become instruments that build both us and others.

To live a truly successful life from God’s perspective, we must recognize that what we have — time, skills, finances, relationships — has not been entrusted to us merely for profit, but for legacy.

When we steward our resources with this awareness, success stops being an individual achievement and becomes a collective platform for impact.

Many women believe their influence begins when they reach a certain level of accomplishment or authority, but the truth is, real influence begins when we allow God to use our space — our work, our relationships, our voice — to accomplish what He desires through our lives.

That means allowing others to grow beside us, sharing opportunities, giving a platform to those God has placed in our care, and using our position to serve. This is how leadership becomes multiplicative.

Success, according to God, has a multiplication effect: it does not stop with us — it continues through us.

Ask yourself today: “What resource, relationship, or opportunity can I choose to place in God’s hands so that it may become a seed of impact and multiplication? How can I turn what I have into a space where others can encounter Him?”

Prayer: Lord, thank You that whatever I place in Your hands does not lose its value — it gains purpose. Teach me to be generous in the way I manage what You have entrusted to me, so that every resource I hold may be used for the expansion of Your Kingdom. Amen.