We All Need a Barnabas
In asking for the Lord’s guidance regarding today’s post, my mind kept being drawn to Barnabas, Paul’s traveling companion for a few years. His given name was Joseph, but he was nicknamed by the church, Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” It is telling that perhaps the greatest of the early church apostles needed an encourager by his side. Here is a brief summary of Barnabas’ ministry life:
He was a Levite from Cyprus, nicknamed “son of encouragement” by the apostles (Acts 4:36).
Radical Generosity (Acts 4:37): He was the man who sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles to support the church in Jerusalem.
He was an advocate for Paul (Acts 9): When Paul (formerly Saul) first came to Jerusalem after his conversion, the disciples were afraid of him. Barnabas risked his reputation to vouch for Paul, introducing him to the apostles and recounting Paul’s conversion experience.
Leader in Antioch (Acts 11): Sent by the Jerusalem church to investigate the growing church in Antioch, Barnabas recognized God’s grace on them and encouraged the new believers. He was described in Acts 11 as a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith,” which resulted in many people being added to the Lord.
Mentored Paul (Acts 11-13): Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Paul, bringing him to Antioch, where they taught for a full year. The two were sent out by the church in Antioch on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:2-3).
Missionary Journey (Acts 14-15): On their mission to Cyprus and Asia Minor, together they faced intense persecution.
The Split (Acts 15): A “sharp disagreement” arose between Paul and Barnabas regarding taking John Mark, Barnabas’ young cousin, on a second missionary journey, as Mark had abandoned them previously. They separated, with Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus while Paul took Silas and went elsewhere. The book of Acts continues to focus on Paul, but acknowledges Barnabas’ continued, faithful work. Barnabas, true to his nickname, took John Mark and spent time discipling him. This process was so effective that, years later, Paul specifically asked for John Mark to come and help him, as Mark had matured to the point of being needed by Paul in his ministry once again (2 Timothy 4:11).
The Lord chose not to tell us the details of Paul’s and Barnabas’ disagreement. It would seem, however, that it was likely the strength of each one’s gift that prompted the opposing viewpoints. Paul’s intense, pioneer spirit lent itself to a more “no nonsense and less patience with immaturity” attitude. Barnabas’s heart of mercy and willingness to come alongside others motivated him. God blessed them both, however. Each was successful in his subsequent ministry, even after separating for a season. And Mark certainly matured into a very needed person in the church.
Perhaps both giftings were necessary to mature Mark: Paul’s stern, no-compromise approach, and Barnabas’ ability to see the potential in others and cultivate it. As we know, all strengths come with antithetical weaknesses, and two different perspectives can both have elements of truth. No one’s gift or perspective is always 100% right. “He who is without sin (or weakness) among you, cast the first stone” (John 8:7) is applicable, not just for the Pharisees in Christ’s day, but for all of us. Ouch!
My purpose today is to remind all of us to be grateful for the Barnabases in our lives, and to take advantage of every opportunity to encourage someone. It could be a person who showed you patience when you were not in a place of strength or purity, someone who took the time to nurture or mentor you, or perhaps a parent who faithfully loved and stood by you. I suppose the list could be endless. But God placed such a high priority on encouragement that He highlighted “the son of encouragement” several times in Scripture. We should prioritize it, also.
If the Lord brings someone to mind, pray for them today. Perhaps send them a text or card, maybe make a phone call. Remember, no one achieves success without help. It is also worth remembering that one of the meanings of “appreciate” is “to increase in value,” [Webster’s Dictionary] as a house or precious gem might do. Allow the value of others to appreciate, to increase, in your heart.
And tell them.
Pray with me:
Lord, You take note when we demonstrate gratitude and appreciation for those who have encouraged us on our journey; You also do so when we encourage others. Thank You for the example of Barnabas and his desire to lift up others.
We thank You today for those who have done so in our lives. The compassionate message, the phone call when we needed it, the “you’re gonna make it” when it seemed there was no way, the smile from a stranger–thank You for them all. Remind us to appreciate–give value to–others.
Also, remind us to give grace to those with whom we disagree whenever possible. Help us to look through the lens of compassion and see their perspective. While we are told in Your Word not to tolerate evil, we can still love and pray for those with whom we don’t agree, including our enemies.
And we ask You to give us more Barnabases, those who specialize in this wonderful gift of encouragement. The world needs more of them. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our decree:
We will be an encouragement to others, give honor where honor is due (Romans 13:7), and choose to live a life of gratitude.
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