Acts 7: The Martyrdom of Stephen

In this chapter I was most familiar with verse 56:

• "...Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

I can't tell you how any times I used that verse as a missionary to teach about the nature of the Godhead. I used it, not out of context per se, but without striving to understand the whole picture. I never considered to personal experience of Stephen building up to this event. I recently watched a film "The Stoning of Soraya M." that depicts the events that lead a woman to be stoned to death for adultury that she did not commit. It has a quite graphic scene when they finally do stone her, it is far from what would be considered a pleasant way to die. Stephen would have known what was coming and his final words and thoughts were not to plead for mercy from the people, but to cast his view on the heavens.

Similarly Abinadi was facing an excruciating death by fire and bore a testimony so strong that he literally shone. Abinadi, like Stephen also called his accusers to repentance, even from captivity. They were fearless. I think we can't help but place ourselves in their positions and wonder what we would do, if we would behave with such courage and faith. I don't have an answer for myself, I am not sure if I have that sort of fortitude. Then again, we are often not sure of our capacity until it has been tested. I look at my own life and do not see anything that has been insurmountable to me. I do not consider anything I have gone through to be a monumental trial. Others though often tell me that they could "never have their husband deploy to a war zone" and "I don't know how you handle that". I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if the Lord ever put me in a position where my declaration of faith would have to be so strong, that it would be because he already knows what my answer would be.