Seeking God’s Approval, Not Man’s | AS BOLD AS LIONS DEVOTIONAL | February 27, 2023

Seeking God’s Approval, Not Man’s | AS BOLD AS LIONS DEVOTIONAL | February 27, 2023

And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Acts 6:5

As the first martyr of the early church Stephen is a key individual to study. In reality, we are not given a ton of information on him. Stephen is only mentioned in Acts 6 and 7 but his role is an important one. Because of his good repute and being “full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3), Stephen is chosen to help out in a much needed role: to minister to the needs of widows. The ministry of the early church was expanding so quickly that some needs were getting left behind. Among those needs, the concerns of widows were being neglected. Stephen had already proven himself behind the scenes and was one of the men chosen for this role.

We know Stephen quickly is thrust into a position where he must defend his faith. He is outspoken about Jesus and therefore ruffles the feathers of many Jewish leaders in the synagogues. We know Paul (then Saul) was among those who rounded up Christians and executed them. What we learn from this courageous act of Stephen is something that still applies today: we must serve God faithfully in season and out. Sometimes that may mean a lack of favor from men. Stephen was not after the approval of man. He wanted to serve His God faithfully and did so until the end.

Question for today: Have I experienced pushback for my faith in Jesus (at work, school, online, etc)? How did I respond?

Pray: Lord, thank You for examples like Stephen who stood courageously for their faith even when it cost him everything. May I be as bold when it comes to defending the Gospel.

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