No Charge!

Acts 7:60

He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Stephen had upset the wrong people, and they were upset. He was going to get stoned. That term has a much different meaning today. Stephen was about to get stoned, but these people used real rocks.

Stephen was going to die.

As the stones began to pelt his body, Stephen reached out to God and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” More stones hit him, over and over again. Finally, when he was about to succumb to his injuries, he said something that I’m not sure I would have the grace to say, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”

What? I would probably be more of a mind to yell, “No, Lord, charge them! They shouldn’t have done this, it is unjust, it is wrong, and man, does it hurt! Make sure they pay for this!”

But that’s not God’s way. We are called to love others, even when they hurt us. Especially when they hurt us.

We cannot get there on our own. We need God’s help and grace to be forgiving. We need to forgive as he does: completely, without any idea about revenge or making people pay. It ain’t easy, but it is necessary.

Every morning, set your heart to forgive. Ask God to make you a forgiving person before you even get out of the house. That way, when the the rocks start flying your way you can yell, “No Charge!”

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