Some of them . . . began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

— Acts 11:20

Sometimes, when you find yourself in a moment of oppor­tunity, you need to make a bold move. After Stephen was martyred, the believers scattered. It may seem odd, but that is one way the good news began to spread into other regions. God is so powerful that he can bring good results even out of bad things that happen.

Today, many of us don’t look at persecution in a way like that. We tend to think of it as something that will ruin or destroy faith. But as we can see in this passage, the church can thrive despite persecution—and this still happens in parts of the world today.

The point of this passage is that some believers, led by the Spirit, made bold moves and proclaimed the good news to people outside the faith. Their boldness was not of themselves; it was due to the presence of God in their lives.

When we face tough times, we often need to step back and trust that God will create the opportunity for us to step in and be bold. Sure, it might seem like a risk at the moment, but it might otherwise be more of a risk not to take the bold step.

As the Spirit of God nudges us in our Christian living, we get to know more of his work in us and through us. It takes time to discern such moments. It might also take wisdom from others to speak into our situation and ask, “What is keeping you from making a bold move?”

Father, fill us with your Spirit so that we might be bold—not in our own strength or doing, but in yours. Amen.