Technically, he was “hired” to distribute bread . . . ultimately, he displayed great faith and dispatched great wisdom. He responded to the call to “serve tables” . . . and was then used to do “great wonders and signs.” His was a call to what some might have considered mundane duty . . . but when a man full of the Spirit is prepared to respond to the calling of the Spirit then don’t be surprised if he displays the power of the Spirit.

Acts 6 begins with a bit of a disturbance within the newly founded, fast growing, church of Christ. A complaint arises that some of the widows in need are being neglected. The apostles recognize that addressing such logistical issues will be a distraction from doing what they should be doing . . . they needed to stay focused on devoting themselves “to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (6:4). And so they determined to pick seven men who would give attention to “the daily distribution” (6:1).

Ok . . . so the first thing that kind of grabs me are the “minimum qualifications” on the “job posting.” The apostles were going to pick out from among the church “seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (6:3). At first, it seems like a bit of overkill to me . . . Spirit-filled? . . . marked by great wisdom? . . . just to hand out daily rations to those in need. But thinking on it a bit more, it makes sense that when it comes to ministering in the body of Christ to the body of Christ that it should be directed by the mind of Christ. That those called to be in service to others in the family of God should first be in sync with the Spirit of God.

So Stephen, along with six others are chosen and commissioned. The “ACTS2:32 Food Bank” is open for business . . . disputes are settled . . . distribution is equitably conducted . . . the apostles are focused on what the apostles should be focused on . . . “and the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem . . . ” (6:7).

But Spirit-filled men who are “faithful with little” often find themselves directed to be “faithful with much.” And Stephen was one of those guys.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.    (Acts 6:8-10 ESV)

I don’t know that Stephen was looking for the limelight. If God’s purpose had been to use this man, “full the Spirit and of wisdom,” to minister to needy widows for the rest of his life . . . if that had been the only role in the Body God had determined He should fill . . . if the body part he was formed for was to be a hand . . . then I think he would have been content to serve in such a manner with all his might, as for the Lord (Col. 3:23). On the other hand, men and women “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” may find that God asks them to fill more than one place in the Body . . . or that, for different seasons, God raises them up to be used in different ways.

And so Stephen goes from handing out bread to doing great signs and wonders. He goes from mediating disputes between dear sisters-in-Christ to debating the things of eternity with learned men of the synagogue of the Freedmen. But what doesn’t change is the driving source of the power to serve . . . the Spirit of God.

And so Stephen, full of grace and power . . . this Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit . . . becomes an example for those who would serve in the Body of Christ.

Service in the Body of Christ, regardless of the task, needs to powered by the Spirit of Christ. And, the initial call might not be the final call . . . but ours is to respond as the Spirit leads and as the Spirit enables.

. . . by the grace of God . . . for the glory of God.