The martyrdom of Stephen provoked a spasm of violence that caused the first Christians to flee the city. There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria… Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. What seemed like a catastrophe initially became the occasion for the spreading of the Good News outside the confines of what the Jesus movement was accustomed to. Without the persecution they might have remained simply another Jewish sect. This is a vivid illustration of the fact that God uses everything, even seemingly negative things. Instead of ticking off the difficulties and woes we are experiencing let’s see how we can turn them into good.
