Not many women of excellence will see their names
written in a book or be remembered a few generations from now. Nevertheless,
their commitment to do what is good and right influences generations to come.
Their reputation for excellence will always be a light for others.
A lifestyle of excellence includes wise use of time,
thought, and energy; honesty; and responsibility for the use of resources, with
consideration for all involved.
Those who build a legacy of excellence change
people’s lives for the good of humanity. Those who show benevolence, protect life, and honor God by avoiding profanity and immorality build an honorable legacy.
Nympha was a biblical woman who did those things.
Nowhere do we read that she sought self-glory. What we know is that she left a
lasting legacy of excellence through her Christian commitment and hospitality
in helping to establish the Laodicean church. Her brief but important mention
in Paul’s letter indicates she was wealthy enough to have a house large enough
for the church to meet in and to provide refreshments to guests, as was customary then and still is today.
Also, helping to establish a Christian congregation
shows she was a woman of influence. Nympha may have been a seller in the
marketplace where she would have had many contacts, including those from
polytheistic cultures. That is where she invited people to church and spread
the gospel message
Nympha may have been Jewish and knowledgeable about the Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah. What we do know is that when she heard
Paul preach about Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, she received the message
of salvation.
Many Laodiceans also received salvation through the preaching of the gospel by Paul and his evangelistic team. They then spread the gospel
message everywhere they went.
Nympha showed that our acts of kindness lift
people of all generations out of spiritual darkness. This first-century woman’s
actions still influence us today.
Let God show you how to be a person of excellence.
Dear God, you know my
thoughts, my coming and going. Nothing is hidden from you. Let my thoughts and
actions be pure and acceptable to you, Lord. Amen.
Patricia Jordan is a seventh-generation southerner from the Appalachian Mountains. She is thankful to return and live there after living in various parts of the world with her retired military husband. They have raised three daughters. She has published You Are Valuable (Westbow), which is her story of how she overcame chronic low-grade depression through Bible study, prayer, and talk therapy. Lately, she has turned her writing talents to writing devotions about walking with God.
I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
No comments:
Post a Comment