It is the day the church commemorates the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. There are plenty of people who think that Christianity is about magic and burying our heads in the sand. When viewed this way, Christianity seems as irrelevant as it can get. It makes impossible demands, colors the world with trite sentimental sayings, and encourages mindless devotion. But the reality is that Christianity causes tremors in society that ripple through our lives so much that it really should come with a warning label attached.
Christians take seriously the reality of evil in the world.
Christians take seriously the reality of evil in us. Christians recognize that all our human efforts will not defeat evil and will not redeem the world. Christians recognize that only God can effect that kind of redemption. Our most important job as Christians is to point to this reality. As we spread the word about what God is doing in our lives, we invite others to experience the redeeming work of God in their lives.