Note: On Tuesdays and some Sundays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.
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.” (Acts 7:51, NAB)
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.
