This week Pastor Dennis Allan walked through the story of Stephen being stoned by the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:54-60 NIV). Throughout chapter seven we’ve traced Stephen’s trial before the Sanhedrin. And while the the trial is a sham, Stephen has poked at the Sanhedrin’s idols: the law, the temple, and the land. They gnash their teeth, a sign of their uncontrolled fury and rage, drag Stephen out of the city, and stone him.

The Sanhedrin are quick to anger. But, Stephen, even as he’s being stoned, prays for his murderers just like Jesus did on the cross. Stephen and Jesus show us what it looks like to be slow to anger, which is how God describes himself in Exodus. Anger isn’t bad. In fact, to be human is to experience anger. But how can we live our lives and not be controlled by our anger? How can we be slow to anger and use our anger in redemptive ways?