IBS-Facing the Crowd

July 27th, 2011

"Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;"

"With one accord". Usually when I hear this phrase I think of unity, fellowship. I think of happiness: We worship God with "one accord", or, with "like minds". Now in this circumstance the crowd was certainly of like minds. They were all enraged. Stephen had crossed the line, and they wanted no more to hear what he had to say.Their conviction was too strong for them to handle, and every one wanted him done away with completely. Now I can usually take one person being angry at me, but when there's a huge crowd "gnashing their teeth" at my expense, my initial reaction is to backtrack and think about compromise. Do I really want to get on everyone's bad sides? Do I want to single myself out? Make myself despised by all? If I were in Stephen's place would I want everyone in "one accord" hating my guts? Um, no. I don't think so. No thank you. But in order to share God's gospel sometimes one has to put themselves in situations where you're the odd one out. I envy Stephen's courage and faith, and I seek that for myself. To hold your ground in Who you're representing when everyone is against you is a situation I have yet to encounter, but I pray that if that day comes, I will be strong enough to trust God that His will will be done through my life. 

I need to seek strength in God. I want to be able to face trials head on, even when all odds are pointing against me, but I know that is God's will. No fear, no turning back, no matter how many enemies I have "in accordance" against me.