Wrong when right - Devotion for 9/30/08

Wrong when right – Devotion for 9/30/08

This morning I was reading from the book of Acts, and I specifically was reading the passage regarding the first martyr – Stephen. After Stephen was killed, we’re told that Saul went on a rampage, and that a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, which caused many followers of the Way to scatter in fear throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. However, today the thing that hit me is found in Acts 8:2 – “Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.”

In the ancient Mediterranean world, dying unburied was one of the greatest dishonors that someone could suffer. Usually the adult sons or those closest to the deceased would bury the dead, and it was considered honorable and even heroic for them to honor the dead through the burial. However, the snag came in the fact that Jewish law absolutely forbade public mourning for a condemned criminal, and burying the deceased criminal was definitely not permitted.

So in the face of the great persecution that is going on in the community – in the face of the ruling of the highest Jewish court naming Stephen a criminal – in the face of the Jewish law prohibiting public mourning of criminals – in the face of the law prohibiting the burial of criminals – “some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.” I hope we all can be as strong in the face of everything we deal with to remain faithful to what’s right – even when it may be considered wrong by the world.