08/23/2026
My name is Lydia. I lived in Philippi, a city far from my home in Thyatira. I was a merchant, specifically a seller of purple cloth. Purple was expensive, which means it was worn by people of wealth and position. So I worked hard, I earned my living, and I was careful with what I had.
I suppose, if you had asked me before that Sabbath day by the river, I would have told you that my possessions were mine, my business was mine, my home was mine, and my money was mine.
But then I met Paul. He told me about Jesus, and as I listened, the Lord opened my heart. Suddenly, I began to see things differently.
My home wasn't simply my home anymore. It was a place where God's people could gather. My table wasn't simply my table. It was a place where a hungry traveler could be welcomed. My business wasn't simply a way to make money. It was something God had given me that I could use for His purposes.
So when Paul and his companions needed a place to stay, I invited them into my home. I didn't do it because I had nothing better to do with my resources. I did it because I had begun to understand something important: Everything I have ultimately belongs to God. My work, my home, my abilities, my time, and my money weren't actually mine. They were gifts that God had entrusted to me. And I discovered that stewardship isn't simply about putting money in an offering plate. Stewardship is asking, "God, what would You have me do with what You have placed in my hands?"
Perhaps you have more money than I had. Perhaps you have less. Perhaps you have a home where people can find welcome. Perhaps you have a talent that can serve the church. Perhaps you have time to give. Perhaps you have a listening ear, a strong back, a creative mind, or a generous heart. Whatever you have, God has entrusted something to you.
So today, as you think about stewardship, I invite you to ask the same question I learned to ask, "Lord, what would You have me do with what You have given me?"
Because when we place what we have in God's hands, even ordinary things can become part of something extraordinary. That is what I learned in Philippi, and that is what I would want you to remember. It isn't really about how much we have. It's about whose hands we're willing to place it in.
