It’s difficult to be the one who brings bad news. The TV weather presenter can upset people just by telling them it is going to rain the next day, yet he did not make the weather - he just tells us.

On a more serious note, when Stephen addressed the religious leaders of Israel, he incurred their wrath because he boldly told them the truth about themselves. He criticised their ancestors and implicated the whole council in the murder of Jesus. Everything he said was true. So what did they do with this indictment? They “gnashed their teeth at him” (Acts 7: 54). They  threw  him out of  the city and put him to death. Because he told the truth, Stephen died under a barrage of stones.

When we speak out for purity, righteousness, justice and godliness in a sinful, pleasure-loving world that seems destined to self-destruct, we too will be criticised. But no matter what happens to us, we can call on God as Stephen did. We can take comfort in knowing that we belong to Him.

As Christian people trying to follow God, let us hope and pray we will have the courage to face discrimination and other injustices and tell it as it is.