Devotional -

The Godly Forgiveness of Stephen ( 17 October )

Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at the right side of God. "Look!" he said. "I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!" With a loud cry the Council members covered their ears with their hands. Then they all rushed at him at once, threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Saul. They kept on stoning Stephen as he called out to the Lord, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!" He said this and died.
Acts 7:55-60

Stephen was a man of faith, filled with the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and power. He even worked miracles (Acts 6:8). Stephen was also a servant and a courageous person speaking with the authority of God. He remained faithful to his calling, and rather than seeking to please members of the Council he spoke the truth.

He was stoned to death after he had been falsely accused. Wounded and in pain, still he asked God to forgive his offenders. I am amazed at how this faithful and committed servant faced death. Would I be able to be like Stephen? With people stoning me and attacking me verbally, how would I react?

Several factors must have contributed to Stephen's godly reaction:

From his speech before the Council, we see that the word of the Lord richly dwelt in him. Rather than defend himself against false charges, he spoke out God's truth.

He looked forward to heaven with great faith, his thoughts were on eternity. For this reason, at the critical moment he had a vision of heaven, and his heart was ready to meet Jesus.

Stephen was continually filled with the Holy Spirit. The fact that he asked God to forgive those who were stoning him shows that he loved them. He himself had experienced God's forgiveness, and so he was able to ask God to forgive his attackers.

The law of God clearly demands that I forgive others (Ephesians 4:32). If I fail to do so, I am actually showing contempt for God's mercy in forgiving my own sins. Indeed, if I fail to forgive, God's word says he will not forgive my sins (Matthew 6:15). Just as God's mercy has led me to repent (Romans 2:4), so should I also forgive others so that they might be prompted to come to Christ.

May God help me to offer forgiveness to those who offend me, to set them free from any grudges I might be harboring against them. I can do all this through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

- 17 OCTOBER -