God's Standard for Success (Acts 7)

We have an unfortunate tendency to equate success with approval and validation from God. This is even (especially?) true when it comes to ministry. As if faithfulness to God can be quantified in numbers - churches with growing attendance, evangelistic series with more baptisms, colporteurs with a lot of book sales. Let’s be honest: we like immediate results.

I noticed something interesting regarding this in Acts 7. Stephen had just been accused of speaking against the sanctuary, the law, and Moses. In a rather brilliant speech, he turns the tables on the Sanhedrin and, using their own history, points out that they are actually the ones speaking against the sanctuary, the law, and Moses.

Nonetheless, things didn’t go so well for Stephen. The Jews were so enraged that they murdered him on the spot. Not only that, but Stephen’s speech prompts such bloodthirsty fury in the Jews that simply killing him isn’t enough – now they want to kill all the Christians! “On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1). Now those are some immediate results, for sure, but not quite the kind I was talking about.

Let’s back up a few chapters. Acts 2 contains another famous speech in the early history of the church. This one, given by Peter, is not too dissimilar from the one Stephen gave, and yet it had drastically different results: over 3,000 people were baptized!

So Peter’s preaching results in thousands who are converted and baptized.

And Stephen’s preaching results in not only his death, but severe persecution for the entire church.

Huh.

Is anyone ready to suggest that Stephen was less faithful than Peter? That his lack of immediate numerical results is somehow a sign of failure on his part? I think not. Both were faithful. Both served God in the moment to which he had called them.

It would do us well to remember that God is more patient than we are. And that he has the big picture in mind, while we often only focus on what is right in front of our faces.

Let us also remember that faithfulness to God is not measured in numbers. God has called us each to different places, different roles, different purposes. Set your heart to the task God has set before you, and leave the results in his hands.