Lydia

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Paul and Silas took a young preacher named Timothy

with them on their travels. Timothy's mother was a
Jewish woman who was a believer in Jesus, and his
father was a Greek.
As they traveled, the Holy Spirit would guide them and
tell them where to go next. One night while they
were at Troas (TRO az), Paul had a vision. A man
from Macedonia (mass uh DOAN ee uh) was
begging him to come over to Macedonia to help
 them. The Spirit was guiding them again.
Immediately they got ready and left. It was a long trip
by ship from Troas to Macedonia. They arrived at
Philippi (FILL uh pie), which was a Roman colony
and one of the largest cities in Macedonia.

To trace Paul's journey, start at #9, Troas and go to #12, Philippi.

They stayed several days. Then they heard that a group

of people met by the river to worship on the Sabbath
day, so they went outside the city gate to the meeting
place.
They sat down and began to speak to the women who
were gathered there to pray. One of them was a
woman named Lydia who was from the city of
Thyatira (thigh uh TIRE uh), which was in a district
 east of Macedonia. She was a dealer who sold purple
cloth.
Purple cloth was very expensive. The reason it was so
costly was that it was difficult to make. The dye for
the cloth came from a shellfish. The juice was white
while it was in the veins of the fish, but when it was
exposed to the sun, the liquid changed into bright
purple and red colors. It took a lot of work to catch
enough shellfish to dye even one garment.
The beautiful cloth was mainly used by members of the
royal families and Roman senators who were
required to have a purple band around the edge of
their togas, or robes.
As Paul preached, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to
receive the message about Jesus. She believed his
words and responded to the teaching. She and the
members of her household were baptized.
We don't know if she was married, or single, or a
widow. She probably had people working for her in
her business since she was a merchant.
She told the men if they considered her a believer in the
Lord, she would like for them to come and stay at
her house. Evidently she had plenty of room to
accommodate the four of them; Paul, Silas, Timothy,
and Luke was with them also. She continued to urge
them and they accepted her invitation and stayed at
her house.
Lydia's heart was like the good soil in the parable of the
sower. When she heard the word of God, she
received it with joy and obeyed the words of the
 apostle.

What does this story

mean to me?

Lydia is an inspiration to girls and young women even

today. She was a "go-getter", a business woman able
to manage money and a business.

In addition, she was a religious person, intent on

worshiping God. She had a good heart which she
opened to the truth.

What about you? Are you lazy, or are you a hard

worker? Are you willing to put forth the effort to
study and become successful? If you are this kind of
person, you will have a happy life, and also you will
be a blessing to others.

Memory Verse

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice

hospitality.
Romans 12:13
 REVIEW
(Rest the mouse lightly over the ??? to see the answers in the alternate
tags.)

1. Who was the young preacher with a Jewish mother

and Greek father?

2. How did Paul and Silas know where to preach?

3. Who did Paul see in a vision at night?

4. What was his message to Paul?

5. How did Paul and his companions get there?

6. To which city did they go?

7. Where did people meet for prayer on the

Sabbath?
8. How did Lydia make a living?
9. What happened after they heard Paul's sermon?

10. What did Lydia urge the men to do?

You can read about Peter in the Bible in

Acts 16:1-15