There's a quote by C.S. Lewis that goes, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." One of the best examples of this is found in Acts chapter 7, the last two verses, which read, "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, recieve my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."
Here Stephen is being stoned, and what does he do? He asks God not to count this sin against them, he is asking God to forgive them in the middle of this stoning. Stephen died in the name of Christ, he died as a martyr. I think too often we get comfortable in our every day lives, we let trivial things get to us and we allow bitterness to sink in where bitterness has no place. When we're professing Jesus in our lives in all ways, shapes and forms, we don't have room for the frivolous drama of our daily lives.
How often do we get so upset about the most insignificent things? It isn't Christ-like nor is it representing God in the light He deserves. We should have hearts that are slow to speak and slow to wrath. Here Stephen is at the end of his life, being stoned for professing Jesus, and he is forgiving them while their in the midst of their sin. Even at the end of his life he was still living for Christ the way we should every day strive.
If you're someone who gets mad or annoyed about the superficial things of life, I encourage you to take a look at Stephen. Forgive the inexcusable in others, because God forgave the inexcusable in you.
Here Stephen is being stoned, and what does he do? He asks God not to count this sin against them, he is asking God to forgive them in the middle of this stoning. Stephen died in the name of Christ, he died as a martyr. I think too often we get comfortable in our every day lives, we let trivial things get to us and we allow bitterness to sink in where bitterness has no place. When we're professing Jesus in our lives in all ways, shapes and forms, we don't have room for the frivolous drama of our daily lives.
How often do we get so upset about the most insignificent things? It isn't Christ-like nor is it representing God in the light He deserves. We should have hearts that are slow to speak and slow to wrath. Here Stephen is at the end of his life, being stoned for professing Jesus, and he is forgiving them while their in the midst of their sin. Even at the end of his life he was still living for Christ the way we should every day strive.
If you're someone who gets mad or annoyed about the superficial things of life, I encourage you to take a look at Stephen. Forgive the inexcusable in others, because God forgave the inexcusable in you.