Need more power? Be like Stephen!!

True to the command of God, the Church in Jerusalem took care of feeding the local widows (Acts 6). In fact, this was such an important job that the apostles themselves participated in the distribution of food on a daily basis.

However, it became evident to the apostles that the preaching of the Word was suffering because they were spending so much time distributing food to the hungry. To solve this problem, the apostles called the entire church together and advised them to choose 7 men from among themselves whose lives testified of their dedication to God, who were full of the Holy Spirit, and who operated in the wisdom of God. These were the type of men needed to distribute food to the widows and poor!

Once the church had accomplished this task, the apostles laid hands on the 7 and released them to the business of feeding the hungry. But Stephen, who had been sitting among the other members of the church before being chosen, began to perform miracles. Strangely enough, the apostles had not anointed him to perform miracles; they had anointed him to feed hungry widows. But once Stephen set about the task he was given, God used him in a way he might never have imagined.

To God, the food pantry was a perfect place for a man like Stephen (and the other power packed 6 as well). To the apostles, food distribution was important enough that they took it on for a time, then insisted that those who take their place be Holy-Spirit filled and wise. To the church, this task was important enough for the entire congregation to come together in search of their most qualified members. The fact that they had 7 men among them of this caliper is testimony to the dedication, strength, power, integrity and fortitude of the congregation in Jerusalem.

When Stephen was chosen, he wasn’t studying-up to be anything but a living testimony of Jesus Christ. He was dedicated to seeking God and living in faith through the Holy Spirit. Then he and the rest of the 7 accepted the call to serve widows: a job that today might be considered menial and of little importance.

But every task done for the Lord is an opportunity to extend the grace and power of God to people in need. No one person or gift has a market on the power of God; He is no respecter of persons and His power is not confined to those who are on a speaking circuit or labeled as apostles. Stephen was chosen to work in the food pantry and God chose this place to perform miracles through Him. Bit it is also likely that Stephen followed the pattern of Jesus, performing miracles in a wide variety of locations and circumstances, according to the needs of the people and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The heart that fully seeks God will be used of Him. The heart that is set on achieving status or is too ‘anointed’ to do menial tasks is one that forgets that there is power in washing the feet of others. And in effect, this is the type of task that Stephen and the 7 were assigned. It’s the heart that is willing to serve which may be suddenly surprised by the dunamis [miraculous] power that is poured upon it. Far above seeking an anointing for miracles, the 7 sought God and willingly submitted to His assignment to serve. In service and humility, power comes!!!

“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life--a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43b-45).