The face of an angel

And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. – Acts 6.15

Things were not going well for Stephen. The council could not answer him and they could not deal with his wisdom and spirit. They could not handle him in debate. So they fabricated a story that he had said Jesus was going to come back and destroy their whole Jewish system.

I wonder how I would respond to that kind of accusation. I wonder what anyone seeing me in that situation would have seen on my face. Would they have seen fear? Would they have seen fear?

What would I have felt? Would I have wondered what I was going to do to get out of this problem? Would I have been considering shutting up or compromising?

I don't know. I hope I would not have considered those things. I hope people would have seen a sensed a determination and a resolution in my soul.

One thing I can't imagine me feeling is a settledness and peace in my soul. I just can't imagine people seeing a face at peace.

But look what the people saw when they saw Stephen's face. 'They looked steadfastly at him, and they saw his face as the face of an angel.'

Wouldn't you love to have that kind of a testimony? Stephen's countenance reflects an inner peace and settledness that is astounding. He knew this council had the authority to kill him, and yet he had no worry or concern on his face.

Why? Because he knew the reality of what we now have in Philippians 4. ‘Don’t be full of care, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’

That kind of peace brings the kind of countenance that produces as face like an angel. My problems and trails and challenges are nothing like what Stephen faced, but my countenance is rarely angel-like.  May God give me the faith to have that kind of inner spirit that is reflected on the outside.