Dare to be a Barnabas

Throughout history, the Church has been influenced by unsung heroes; ordinary men and women who were significant in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. One such individual found in Scriptures was Barnabas. He was born Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus. The Apostles, in recognition of one of his spiritual gifts and lifestyle, renamed him Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” (Acts 4:36 NIV) Barnabas was an encourager.
After encountering Jesus on the Damascus road, Saul, later known as the Apostle Paul, turned from violently persecuting Christians to preaching the very Gospel he had once despised (Acts 9). The only problem was that people didn’t trust Paul. They had a hard time believing that he could have changed. People knew Paul by his history and judged him accordingly.
Barnabas, however, believed in the work of Jesus in Paul’s life. Barnabas stood up for Paul, introducing Paul to the disciples and giving Paul the opportunity to share his new found faith. Barnabas helped open the way for the ministry Paul was called to.
When John Mark stumbled, Paul wanted to dismiss him as being unreliable. Barnabas wouldn’t give up on Mark and continued to keep him active in ministry. Barnabas saw the treasure in Mark in spite of Mark’s past failure. He gave Mark a second chance, another opportunity to make good.
If you think about it, maybe like Barnabas, God is calling you to believe in someone, not according to that person’s past, but according to the possibilities and ministry God has placed in their hearts.
Maybe there is someone like a John Mark in your life whom the Holy Spirit is nudging you to encourage and offer a second chance in order to help them overcome a past failure, hurt, or misunderstanding.
The truth is, just about every person alive needs encouragement. We all need to have people around us who believe in us and call forth the best from us. People who will champion us and speak words of life to us.
I am grateful for those who have done this for me in the past and for those who are doing this for me now. It is a blessing I want to share with others.
Noting that no one is irrelevant and no task inconsequential, maybe you will join me in daring to be a “Barnabas,” a son or daughter of encouragement to someone around you.
Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts that we can give or receive in our lives and ministries. If we can be someone who can encourage others, we can be significant in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. Let’s be significant!
“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Cor 13:11 NIV)