Martyr
Martyr means witness. In the early
church, to witness for Christ often meant to die for Christ. Stephen was the
first. His story in Acts 6 and 7 shows us what this witness looks like.
Stephen was one of the seven chosen to serve in mercy ministry and lead the congregation (Acts 6:5). He was a man of faith and grace, doing wonderful things among the people. But some men rose up against him, trying to argue him down. They were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke. So they stirred up the crowd, seized Stephen, and brought him before the Council. There he boldly witnessed for Christ—and was stoned to death.
Most of us in America today will probably never be killed for our faith. So how do we read Stephen’s story and apply it to our lives? What does it look like to live with a martyr mindset? Recently, I was reading about Fred Rogers. Though Mr. Rogers was not a martyr in death, I saw a surprising parallel between Stephen and him. Both shared qualities of the martyr mindset.
Empathy
First, they shared deep empathy
born of suffering. Through their empathy, they bore witness to Christ. Stephen
was full of grace and compassion. He was chosen to care for widows and the
poor. When confronted by the religious leaders, his face shone like an angel’s
(6:15). As he began his defense, he addressed his persecutors tenderly as
“brothers and fathers” (7:2). As stones rained down on him, he prayed, “Lord,
forgive them!” (7:60). If we summed up his ministry, his character, and his
final prayer into one word, it would be “compassion”—empathy.
Fred Rogers also grew empathy through suffering. He grew up near Pittsburgh in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Though his family was wealthy, his childhood was hard. His mother was overprotective. He was shy, painfully introverted, and often stuck at home with severe asthma. At school he was bullied, teased with the cruel nickname “Fat Freddy.”[1] Yet he was deeply loved by his parents and grandparents, helped by good neighbors, and strengthened by faith and music. Out of this suffering grew an extraordinary empathy. Later, Fred Rogers became that good neighbor for others. He taught children to look for helpers, to trust in kindness, to see the good in others.
Non-Anxious Presence
The second martyr mindset quality
is a non-anxious presence. In front of his enemies, Stephen was calm and
peaceful. They were threatening his life, but he was steady. How? By the power
of the Spirit. Scripture describes him as “a man full of faith and the Holy
Spirit” (6:5), “full of grace and power” (6:8), and “filled with the Holy
Spirit” as he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God (7:55). By the Spirit,
Stephen spoke truth in love, rebuking the leaders not with bitterness, but with
courage and grace.
Mr. Rogers lived this same kind of presence. People may think his calm was just personality or performance, but those who knew him best saw its source in his spiritual life. He rose daily at 4:30 to pray and read the Bible. He disciplined his body, swimming a mile each morning. He maintained 143 pounds for the most of his adult life. When conflicts arose, he met them without panic. Once, Burger King misused his image in an ad mocking McDonald’s. Instead of suing, Fred called the vice president himself, speaking with firmness and love. The ad was pulled immediately.[2] His calm presence was a Christ-like witness.
Self-Denial
The third quality is self-denial.
Stephen’s goal was not to live long, but to live for Christ. His speech before
the Council was not self-defense—it was testimony. “Jesus is the Messiah.
Repent, turn to him, and listen to him.” Stephen was ready to die for Jesus. He
fixed his eyes on Christ and the heavenly kingdom. As death came, he looked up
and declared, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the
right hand of God!” (7:56). Jesus promised, “Those who lose their life for my
sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39).
Fred Rogers also lived this spirit of self-denial. When he founded Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1971, he made it a nonprofit. Even when tax attorneys insisted his salary was too low, Fred and Joanne lived simply. They sold their home and moved into a modest apartment. He drove an old Honda, wore plain clothes, and never renovated their drafty Nantucket cottage. He turned down commercial offers and refused to market toys directly to children. While Sesame Street became a global empire, Fred Rogers chose self-denial. He gave up wealth, comfort, and recognition so children would not be treated as consumers[3]. He was not stoned in the street, but he died daily to self in order to serve others. That’s the martyr mindset—quiet, costly, faithful witness.
True and Better
Martyr means witness. Stephen’s
death seemed like failure, yet it left a profound impact —especially on one
man, Saul of Tarsus, who approved of his killing (8:1). Soon, Saul met the
risen Christ and became Paul, one of the greatest witnesses for Jesus.
The calling of a martyr is to bring others closer to Christ through their empathy, their non-anxious presence, and their self-denial.
Jesus is the true and better Stephen, who, full of the Spirit, spoke truth in love, forgave his enemies, and laid down his life – not just for his people, but also for the whole world, drawing all people to himself through the cross.
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8, NRSV).
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus—the true and better Stephen—and live with the martyr mindset. This week, let us look for one way to practice the martyr mindset – whether forgiving an enemy, speaking truth gently, or choosing simplicity – for the sake of Christ. May our lives help others come to Christ’s heart through ours. Amen.
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