August 7, 2008 - Acts 7:2a

“To this he replied: ‘Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham….’” Acts 7:2a.
Accusations were brought against Stephen and he now stands before the Sanhedrin, the religious ruling body of Israel. Stephen has the opportunity to speak on his own behalf, and he begins by recounting a historical overview of their mutual past. He does this in a manner that was understandable and relevant to his listeners. He calls the audience to attend to him by speaking out, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me!” He begins by calling them his brothers and, with a tone of humility, his “fathers”, honoring their positions of authority. And he immediately draws their attention to the most significant father in their heritage – Abraham.
This simple opening line is rich, and I learn so much from it. In this short line, he seeks to identify with each person in this audience. He, in essence, is saying, “I am one of you, and we are in this together.” The use of “brother”, “father”, and “Abraham” is significant. For me, it is important to begin be having some common points of identification that is relevant to my audience. This means that I need to be familiar with those with whom I am speaking. It is so tempting for me to just talk about stuff that I know without considering my audience. And it is easier, as well. It is much more difficult for me to gain some understanding of my audience and speak in a more inclusive manner.
Questions to consider: How aware am I of the “audiences” that run in my world? On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being high), how important is it to me to identify with my audience? What do I do to actively learn how to identify with others?
Prayer: Father, give me an eye to see and an ear to hear how I can identify with those around me. Help me to relate Your story of love for all humanity in a way that is relevant to my listeners. Amen.