“When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.” (Acts 9:26-27)
Food For Thought: “But Barnabas…” Don’t skip over those two words so quickly, because they have affected you more than you realize. You see, those two powerful words not only impacted the life of a man named Saul, they dramatically impacted the future of Christianity—and that would include you and me.
“But Barnabas…” and history was made!
Saul of Tarsus had been one of early Christianity’s most feared persecutors, but his amazing Damascus Road conversion had transformed him into Christianity’s most effective proponent. Ultimately, Paul became the greatest single instrument for the spread of Christianity in the first century, a church-planter extraordinaire, author of most of the New Testament’s theology, and was elevated to the rare status of Apostle along with Peter, John and the other disciples of Jesus.
However, Saul, now called Paul, didn’t find immediate acceptance from the church in the days following his spiritual rebirth, and understandably so. The believers were wary of Paul—only days before he had hunted them down, imprisoned them, and was not above having them executed for their belief in Jesus. So extending a warm embrace to him was not their first response. Actually, they avoided Paul like the plague.
“But Barnabas…” What a great phrase! “But Barnabas…”
Barnabas, always the encourager (which is what his name means), took Paul under his wings, vouched for him in the presence of the apostles, and began introducing him to the believers. In fact, for the next few years, it was Barnabas who discipled Paul, and then took the lead in their initial missionary expeditions until Paul was ready to take the lead. Once Paul had been spiritually seasoned Barnabas graciously took a lesser role and allowed this rising star to shine. And then, as quickly as Barnabas appears in Scripture, he disappears. Thank God for Barnabas!
“But Barnabas…”
I wonder what would have happened to Paul were it not for that phrase, “but Barnabas…” Perhaps the great theological treatise we know as Romans would never have been penned; maybe we would have never been inspired by the wonderfully uplifting letter of Philippians; it’s possible we would never have been instructed by the pastoral epistles of Timothy and Titus. “But Barnabas…” stepped up to the plate, took a risk with a high-risk convert, and Paul was turned loose to turn the world upside for Jesus Christ. That’s the power of encouragement!
The truth is, everyone needs a Barnabas in their life. Everyone needs someone to take a chance with them. Everyone needs someone to believe in them. Everyone needs appreciation for their efforts, acknowledgment for accomplishments, and affirmation of their potential. We all desperately need encouragement. That, to paraphrase psychologist William James, is possibly every human being’s deepest need.
But not only do we need a Barnabas in our lives, we need to be a Barnabas to someone. God has made sure that each of us knows at least one person who has planted within them the seeds of greatness just waiting to be released through our showers of encouragement.
Who might that be for you? For whom has God called you to be a Barnabas? Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
So before this day is out, give some consideration to how you can be a Barnabas. Get intentional and strategic about expressing genuine encouragement to that Saul in your life. Be their Barnabas…it may change their life…it may make history. And it won’t cost you a thing!
Bonne Steffen, the editor of Christian Reader tells the true story from a Florida Christian school of a boy who was always in trouble at school, so when the parents of this junior higher received one more call to come in and meet with his teacher and the principal, they knew what was coming.
Or so they thought. The teacher sat down with the boy’s father and said, “Thanks for coming. I wanted you to hear what I have to say.”
The father crossed his arms and waited, thinking what defense he could use this time. The teacher proceeded to go down a list of ten things—ten positive affirmations of the junior high “troublemaker.” When she finished, the father said, “And what else? Let’s hear the bad things.”
“That’s all I wanted to say,” she said.
That night when the father got home, he repeated the conversation to his son. And not surprisingly, almost overnight, the troublemaker’s attitude and behavior changed dramatically.
That’s the power of encouragement!
Prayer: Dear Father, help me to be a Barnabas to someone today. Show me that person who needs a life-changing encounter with my words of encouragement. Make me sensitive to the efforts of others so that I may take the time to appreciate them. Help me to recognize the contributions of another so that I can publicly acknowledge them. Show me that person who is dying for me to affirm their value. Give me special insight into someone’s life so that I may paint a picture of the bright future you have in mind for them. Allow me this day to speak words of life into the spirit of another. Make me a true son of encouragement. In Jesus name, amen.
The Power of Encouragement: Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
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