Read Acts 16:11-15

What Kind Of Heart Do You Have?

When Paul arrived in Philippi, he went to the riverside on the Sabbath Day to meet with some women. In cities in which there were not ten Jewish men, a synagogue was not erected. Instead, those of the faith met at the river for prayer. Lydia was one of those people.

Luke tells us that Lydia “was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira” (Acts 16:14). Her occupation indicated that she was likely a wealthy woman, as purple was a very expensive dye used in fabrics in the first century. The gospel truly is for all people: male and female, rich and poor. All it takes is an honest heart willing to obey in faith, and that is exactly what Lydia had.

She was already a worshiper of God, but when she heard the gospel, Luke says, “The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:14). This is the type of person Jesus was talking about in Luke 8, as he explained the parable of the sower. “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). Sometimes it may take a person a while to allow themselves to believe, but if they possess that “honest and good heart” and the teacher is “longsuffering” (2 Timothy 4:2), they will get there.

There are others, though, like Lydia, who will come to an understanding and acceptance of the truth sooner. When she heard the truth, she obeyed the truth! Luke records that “she and her household were baptized” (Acts 16:15).

Do you have this type of heart? Or have you hardened yourself against the gospel because of bad experiences in the past? I encourage you to allow God to teach you through His Word and through His servants in the Lord’s church. Study with them. Learn what He requires of you, and in humility submit to His commands.