By
Melanie Rigney
Stephen said to the people, the elders,
and the scribes: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you
always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the
prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold
the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now
become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe
it.” (Acts
7:51-53)
Into
your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Psalm 31:6a)
“For
the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world.” (John 6:33)
Piety
Lord,
guide my words. Help me to admonish with not only conviction but with love.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Study
It was not an easy time for Stephen.
He stood before the Sanhedrin, falsely
accused. He knew this was not likely to end well in an earthly way. And yet, he
did not waver. Not only did he orate on the people’s history with the Lord, he
issued his own accusation, an accusation of truth and faith. History is
repeating itself, he in essence said. History is repeating itself right now.
And so he was stoned to death, the
first of disciples to die for his faith.
Stephen’s words made people angry and
uncomfortable. They would make people angry and uncomfortable today; who wants
to be called a betrayer or murder of the righteous? And yet, it’s all too easy
for us to submerge our responsibility to call out with love and forthrightness
those who ignore the Lord today in their words and actions. It’s easy to get
along to go along rather than to speak up for our faith. May we emulate
Stephen… and observe the Law as we have received it. It’s costly to do this on
earth; it’s costlier still not to do it.
Action
Have a
difficult conversation that you have been avoiding.
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