Becoming Barnabas
September 16th, 2009Proverbs 22:1 tells us “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.” In the early church, there was a Levite named Joseph who had such a good reputation that the Apostles called him Barnabas which means son of encouragement (Acts 4:36). Barnabas was a lofty name to live up to, but he did it admirable in many ways.
First, his life was filled with kindness. Our first mention of Barnabas shows him to be man willing to sell his property and give the entire proceeds to help the needy (Acts 4:34-37). Later, he and Paul would the churches in Judea money gathered to help them (Acts 11:28-30). It is clear that Barnabas was a caring and nurturing individual. He saw more than his own needs and wants, but also the needs of others. If we are to be encouraging, we must consider what other people need and seek to provide it.
Second, his life was filled with forgiveness. After Saul (i.e., Paul) had changed from a persecutor of Christianity to a Christian most of the disciples were afraid of him. They didn’t really believe that Saul had changed (Acts 9:26). It was Barnabas who gave him a chance and introduced him to the apostles (Acts 9:27-28). Barnabas was willing to believe that a person could change drastically through the power of Christ. He didn’t hold a person’s past against them. If we are to be encouraging, we must be willing to forgive others and treat them as if they were never going to hurt us again. We must be willing to overlook a person’s past and realize they are a new creature in Christ.
Third, his life was filled with belief. It was filled with belief in God to be sure, but what is special about Barnabas is he believed in individuals. When Paul and Barnabas were sent on their first missionary journey, Mark went with them but for some reason left them (cf. Acts 13:13). When they were about to set off on another journey, Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance. Paul, however, was dead set against it; they argued and ended up going different directions (cf. Acts 15:36-39). Barnabas believed that Mark could be a valuable worker and a good companion despite his earlier desertion. It is encouraging when someone believes in you, especially when they know your mistakes. We should be willing to believe in others and support them in the work they strive to do for God.
Barnabas was filled with many qualities that encourage and lift others up. He surely deserved to be called a son of encouragement. If we take on these qualities of kindness, forgiveness, and believing in others we too can be sons and daughters of encouragement.
