Acts 6:8–15 (ESV)
Stephen Is Seized
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders
and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand
the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came
upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy
this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
In yesterday’s reading,
seven men were appointed to take care of the food distribution for the widows. Today, one of the chosen falls into trouble. He becomes trouble to other people through what he was telling others. People from various synagogues rose up against
Stephen, “but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.” What did they do? They got false witnesses to lie about Stephen and seized him. They seized him for telling the Truth! Even today,
people try to frame others to get their way. It could be co-workers who don’t like you or want your job. It could be competitors in the business world. It could even happen among so called friends. What does this passage show
us? As Christians we should live truthful lives and honor the eighth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” We are not about lies, but truth. We need to let Truth govern the way we live and what
others see of us. As Christians, we also need to realize that we will be persecuted.
I pray: O Lord, help me to be truthful to all people at all times. Let me be known for Truth and not as
a hypocrite or a false witness. I witness for Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. Let this Truth be revealed to all who know me and all who hear me. Amen.