The Stubbornness of Man

No, wives, I’m not referring to your husband!  Rather, in Acts 6 we have an increasing intensity of persecution…the burner is getting turned to high so to speak. What we often see in the book of Acts is the reaction of men to what seems to be irrefutable facts and this reaction is often to ignore the facts and try to get rid of the facts; often by killing or imprisoning someone. Read what they do to a man named Stephen: 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.

Since they weren’t able to resist the wisdom that he spoke, why didn’t they just accept the wisdom? We see the same reaction with those who were opposed to Peter and Paul and Jesus. Rather than adjust their lives to the obvious truth and wisdom they were hearing, they tried to stamp out or eliminate the wisdom. Unfortunately this practice didn’t stop in the first century. I’m afraid there is more of this kind of stubbornness in me than I’d like to admit. This stubbornness leads to the death of Stephen in the next chapter. I pray that we identify this in our own lives, repent of it and yield our will to the wisdom of God; even when it comes to our ears through the mouth of someone else.  Don’t be stubborn as it relates to the purpose and plan of God.  Be open…be yielding…be submissive.