“The Meekness of Stephen“
[By Lydia Russom]

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5, NIV)

Meek: Enduring injury with patience and without resentment (Merriam-Webster)

While looking through all the different definitions for meek, I found the one above and it struck me with how different it was from the others that stressed humbleness, quiet demeanors, even weakness.

Using this definition, I wanted to talk about Stephen (Acts 6:8 – 7:60). Acts 6:8 describes Stephen as “a man full of God’s grace and power” and “full of the Holy Spirit (7:55, NIV)”.

Acts 7:54 – “When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Stephen endured with patience and had no resentment, asking God not to hold this sin against them, because he cared for them, loved them, even as he was being stoned to death by them. He saw the evil that they were doing and still desperately wanted them to be forgiven so they all could have the chance at life that Stephen himself had. He had hunger and thirst for righteousness, not just for himself, but for everyone, and on top of that he added meekness.

Stephen’s story is short, but it is so rich in love and the characteristics that we, as Christians, strive to be and have every day.

Meekness does not mean weakness, but rather strength, patience, and mercy, and doing these things with the most important quality – love.