Poor Stephen cannot get a break.
The Stephen in question is the dude mentioned in Acts 6 and 7. And by a break, I refer to me bothering his story again and again and again.
On this occasion I am just amazed at his final words.
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)
Errrrr… What? Don’t hold this sin against them? Say what? Stephen, you do know who you’re saying that to, don’t you? They are throwing stones with lethal intent. I often wonder if one of those rocks scrambled his brain a little because this is bizarre. They falsely accused you, you had to show them just how stiff-necked they are, they even were complicit in the death of the Messiah and here they are beating you to a pulp.
And you want the sin withheld?
What on earth could possibly possess you to say such a thing? And of course the answer is nothing on earth. Although who he looks to was on earth.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
When Stephen gets a glimpse of the Son at the right hand side of the Throne, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the example of the Son helped him in his final moments. In as much as it would be easy to look to be avenged, Stephen looks for mercy. In as much as it would be easy to seek for the fire of God to consume those who are against him, Stephen asks for forgiveness.
There is something about life in the light of Christ that leads us to do things that might seem almost impossible otherwise. It compels me to desire to live that kind of life in the light of Christ, to look for mercy first, not judgment. To seek grace for those who need it, not condemnation. It is so difficult when there are those who want my downfall. It would be easier to just want them disposed. It would be great. But it wouldn’t be Christ.
What would be Christ is if we looked for mercy and forgiveness. It would be Christ to desire others to see Him who forgave us and experience that themselves. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if in the midst of our angst and heartache through those who spitefully use us, a plea for forgiveness can have a similar outcome to Stephen’s where one of those looking after the cloaks approving of the murder would have an enormous impact on the spread of the gospel.
And Saul approved of their killing him. (Acts 8:1a)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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