Scattered to Share

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.  (Acts 7:54-8:5 ESV)
Just as Jesus promised, proclaiming their faith in Christ brought the wrath of those hardened in thier self-righteousness.  What we find is the tale of two deacons.  These two men, both full of the Spirit of God, had been selected to serve the widows in Acts 6.  Both were used by God to share the Gospel of Christ with others.  Stephen stood and was stoned; Phillip scattered and was well received. Both were being obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit in what they did. We need to be willing to be either one.