Was Stephen crazy? Suicidal? Surely he knew how his listeners would react to his message? (Acts 6:8-8:1)
The reality was that people had grown to love their religion more than they loved God, and when confronted with this fact, they reacted with outrage and indignation.
Thinking about our day and age, what if the Church reacted in our freedom in Christ instead of fear to things like the Mideast refugee situation?
We never know what God has in store: just as Saul, the Christ-enemy, church-hater, stood smugly by and held coats as others stoned Stephen, but was later transformed, perhaps thousands of people at their most vulnerable might have their hearts turned to the Truth as well.
