Standing Strong When the World Hates You
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.’” —Acts 6:11 (CSB)
Stephen was a disciple of Christ—a young man full of grace and power—who was performing great wonders and signs among the people. He was faithfully fulfilling the assignment God had given him. In the midst of his obedience, there were those who became jealous and sought to bring him down. They could not argue with him or stand against him because the Holy Spirit was working through him.
In the passage above, we see that these haters deceitfully convinced others to lie about Stephen in order to destroy him. This is why it is imperative that we keep our bishop, pastors, and leaders in prayer. They will always be targets. Satan goes after those who are making a difference for the Kingdom of God. When Stephen was brought before the leaders of the church, he didn’t try to defend himself against the accusations. Instead, he used the moment as an opportunity to continue preaching the Word of God. Stephen did not let the threat of death stop him from doing what God had called him to.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus, who told us the world would hate us:
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
—John 15:18–21
This passage reminds us not to be surprised by how the world treats us. I must admit, there have been times in the past when I was shocked by people’s behavior. But as this Scripture comes to mind, I pray that God will give us the grace and strength to stand like Stephen and continue proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.
Key Takeaways
The world is not supposed to like you.
Standing as an ambassador for Christ will cause others to lie on you.
We must keep all our Christian leaders covered in prayer.
Prayer
Father, Thank You for the example of Stephen, who stood firm even when lies and accusations rose against him. Strengthen us with that same courage and fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we will not shrink back when the world opposes us. Help us to respond not with fear, anger, or defensiveness, but with faith, grace, and unwavering commitment to Your truth. In Jesus name amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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