A DEFINING MOMENT

Acts 7:1"Then the high priest asked him, 'Are these charges true?"

Imagine Stephen's predicament, here he was standing alone before the high priest having just heard numerous witnesses lie about what he had said -- they testified that he spoke words of blasphemy against Moses and God. Stephen knew Jewish law, so he knew the penalty for blasphemy was stoning, and he knew these people were looking for an excuse to punish him severely.

This was Stephen's "defining moment" -- the high priest asked the question, "Are these charges true?" Don't miss the significance of this moment -- there are always two paths or choices at times like these -- the one you choose will define who you are in Christ. The first choice is toward safety (reduction of tension, finding common ground, peace making, and blending into the crowd), as Peter did when he denied Jesus 3 times; the other requires the courage to stand firm in the face of adversity.

What would you do if faced with the same choice? How would you answer the question? Not always do we face such direct opposition or dire consequences as Stephen did here; however we still regularly experience moments when we have an opportunity to either stand up and answer in Christ, or walk away. When was the last time you had such a choice? How did you answer the question?

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