“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia-who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.” Acts 6:9-10

Dear Lord, Give me words and a heart like Stephen’s heart. As I go out to do my vocational business, I find myself putting my Christianity in a box. I worry about doing my job and leave my Christianity in a box on the shelf. Keep me from this. Help me to always remember that I come with your Word and your promises and your Spirit. Help me to bring my Christianity with me wherever I go and into every vocation that you’ve given me. Help me to share your message whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself. Give me grace and power from your Holy Spirit to speak up about the things I have learned from your Word. And then when I am confronted with those who want to shut me down with fear tactics and bullying (as the Jews did), give me courage that comes from God. Keep me from making it personal in my response, but rather make me an apologist for you, for your name and with your Word. Make me a defender of your truth with my life and in my words. Amen.

Ours is the same work of Stephen. He had vocational business to do. He brought the Spirit’s wisdom and the Father’s word to that business. We have vocational business to do. With God’s help, we will bring the same wisdom and the same word to our vocational business.