Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, April 29, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Here’s where Stephen gets feisty. He’s laid out the history of the Jewish people in order to demonstrate how, over and over, God’s people have refused to listen to God’s words. Now he goes for the jugular, flat out telling them they’re hypocrites. Circumcised in body, maybe, but that means nothing if their hearts and ears reject the true teachings of the Holy Spirit. And, of course, this is also the point when the people get so enraged they decide to murder Stephen. And…they do.
So I wonder if it’s ever really wise to be this blunt. And then I immediately think of all the white moderates who told the Black community to be polite and patient and wait for the system to change back in the 50s and 60s. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Nope.” No more waiting. The truth needs to be stated for all to hear. Action needs to be taken. They murdered Dr. King as they murdered Stephen. But the people fought on, and changes happened.
Still today, the system hasn’t changed enough. Lots of work has been done to roll back the protections for Black folks in the U.S., and it is just wrong. Wrong. Period. Full stop. Are we willing to get feisty for the sake of the truth even at the risk of our lives?
What do I think is the role of blunt honesty in sharing the gospel truth?
