"Look, God"

Acts 7:56
"and said "Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

It's interesting to see that Stephen is now at a whole new level that what has always been.  Up until this time, God only existed to the Sanhedrin as words on a paper and through sacrifices, and through man made traditions.  The author of Acts see that Stephen saw heaven open up.  But Stephen sees it and in his excitement declares something that humans weren't allowed to see (God) and live.  So just as they did with Jesus, the religious leaders took spiritual justice into their own hands.  They were the religious authority and what they say goes and people had to follow.  Not some random uneducated guy that opposed them.  Not only did he oppose them, insult them, and accuse them, he now verbally claims to see God.  And he wants them to see what he did.

Application - In the face of persecution, do I say "Look! God!"? Do I still want to point people to Christ? Do I want them saved? Or do I just want to win the argument?  I must continually hold fast to my beliefs and make sure my motives are to have all men see Jesus.