Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Acts 8:2, “Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.”

Background

Do you consider yourself to be a brave person? There was a time in this country when being brave was about the best thing that you could be. Men lived and strove for honor, and a certain and necessary path to that goal required one to be brave. Little else mattered if you lacked the courage to do what was right at all costs. Personal success, family prosperity, and individual comfort were no substitutes for answering the call to be brave when your time came. These days, there doesn’t seem to be as much concern for being brave and living a life of honor. That life is one reserved for those in uniform, who serve and rescue and protect. Those who rush in when all others are running out. Whereas men would once dread the thought of being known as fearful or cowardly or of having no honor, there is a different stigma now that many in our society go to great lengths to avoid. And that is of being insignificant. And by insignificant I don’t mean unnecessary and belittled. And I don’t mean dismissed and unappreciated, although they are a distinct possibility. By insignificant I mean unrecognized, unmentioned, and indistinct. I mean one of many, not garnering special attention or seeking accolades or applause. For back in the day, that is where honor was developed. That is where honor was lived out. Notoriety wasn’t sought out for its own sake, and people could see beyond the offer of fifteen minutes of fame. 

Application

Stephen was brave, even before he realized it. And isn’t that always the case, that the trait exists within us before we ever experience it? Stephen lived without mention until Spirit-filled servants were needed to minister to the church body. And then he was first on the list. But that position only got him an appointment with an unpleasant council. And faced with the choices of speaking up or shutting up, Stephen simply had too much to say. He had been insignificant. He was brave. And he is remembered for his honor and courage and faith to the One he walks with today. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, let your insignificant day be another one lived out with honor and courage. Be brave enough to be a nobody, and see where that takes you. 

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words