July 24, 2008 - Acts 6:13

“They produced false witnesses, who testified, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.’” Acts 6:13.
Stephen, who was performing amazing miracles out in public for all to see, was speaking eloquently concerning the message of Jesus. Zealous religious authorities appeared on the scene to argue against him but could not prevail. As a result, these authorities “produced false witnesses” to testify against Stephen before the Sanhedrin, the religious governing body in Israel. Their argument sounded eerily similar to the one put forward against Jesus, at His trial - and we know what happened to Him. Stephen, too, knew this all too well.
Yet he stood strong and there is no record that he ever folded, squirmed, or appeared nervous as he put forth his response to the charges levied against him. When “false witnesses” put forth their half-truths, he did not react but instead calmly, intentionally, and proactively presented his case. If that had been me in that situation, I am not so sure how I would have responded or, more accurately, reacted. Instead of presenting the case for God’s activity through Jesus in this world, I might have worried more about justifying myself before those authorities. Imagine what it must have been like to be brought before the authorities because of a misunderstanding of your religious beliefs. Wouldn’t you want to justify yourself? Yet Stephen did not seek to do so. He argued in defense of God’s activity in human history through Jesus, the Messiah!
Questions to consider: How would you handle being falsely accused? Would you respond or react – be proactive or be reactive – to false testimonies brought against you? What lesson(s) can you learn from Stephen’s response to these false testimonies?
Prayer: Father, help me to remember that this life is not all about me, but instead, it is all about You. Give me courage to lay down my own desire to protect myself in order to present You in a life giving and Spirit-led way. Amen.