She Reads Truth: Women In The Bible, Part 4Sample

Lydia: Diving Into Ministry How do you like to get wet at the swimming pool? Are you an easing-in kind of girl, inching your way down the steps? Getting used to the water up to your ankles, legs, hips, waist, all the way to your neck? Holding your breath as you finally decide to duck your head underwater and hoping the frigid flash won’t give you a small heart attack? Or are you a cannonball-into-the-deep-end, get-it-all-over-with-at-once woman? There are some places where easing in is the right choice. Maybe when you’re learning how to cook, you don’t want to start with beef bourguignon and creme brulee. When you’re learning photography, you don’t offer to shoot a friend’s wedding before you take a class. But in choosing Christ, I think Lydia shows us the right way is the cannonball method. Lydia was led by the Spirit to believe. While she already worshiped God, now she knew His Son. And right away, she jumped into the role of Christian. She used what she had as a wealthy businesswoman and offered hospitality to Paul and his companions. Lydia didn’t just invite these weary travelers; she “persuaded” them into staying at her home. To me, this whispers that Lydia was impassioned to play a role, any role she could in the group of new believers. She was so stricken by the love of Christ that she couldn’t help offer what she had to those who also knew Him. And she kept doing it -- in verse 40 of the same chapter, Paul and Silas come back to Lydia’s after being released from jail. We see later that Paul wrote to Lydia and her fellow believers in Philippi: “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5, HCSB) From the first day! It might be scary or unsettling to you. But the first day of your belief is the best day to jump right into Christian friendship, love, and service. The second best day? Today. Even if you’ve put it off, fumbled around, are unsure of how you can proceed. Remember Lydia. Maybe just inviting someone into your home is the first step in your service to Christ. Click here to join the conversation with the SheReadsTruth community: http://bit.ly/wob4day2-1