Dear Friends.
"When he came to Jerusalem,
Paul 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. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord, and
that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly
in the name of Jesus." Acts 9: 26-28)
Did you ever wonder what might have happened
to the apostle Paul if it hadn't been for an unsung biblical hero like Barnabas
who was willing to risk his reputation in defense of him? Would we have all
the New Testament letters that Paul wrote? Would Paul's faith have
survived the ostracism of the local church in Jerusalem? Would Paul have bolted
from the faith, or perhaps started some hybrid version of Christianity?
Of course, we don't know the answer to these
questions, but it is conceivable that if it had not been for Barnabas, Paul
might never have had the opportunity to meet with the leaders of the Jerusalem
Church, and who knows how that might have impacted the spread of
Christianity.
Next to his conversion on the road to
Damascus, there may not have been a more significant turning point in Paul's
life than the support and encouragement he received from Barnabas, which opened
his door to ministry with the Jerusalem elders.
Someone said, “We will never know how many
people are lost to the Lord because no one ever came around to give them
encouragement?”
When Sir Walter Scott was a boy, he was not
considered very bright. As a result, most folks ignored him. When he was
twelve, he went to a social gathering where a number of literary figures were
present. Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, was admiring a painting under
which was written a couplet of poetry. He asked about the author, but nobody
knew who had written the lines. That was when Scott very shyly quoted the rest
of the poem and gave the author's name. Burns placed his hand on the young boy's
head and said, “Son, you will be a great man of Scotland someday.” Years later,
Scott remembered Burns's encouraging words as the turning point in his life.
Yesterday in church I sat next to a mom and
her twelve-year-old son. Following the service, I introduced myself, and the
mother mentioned that her son wanted to be a minister. I was excited to speak
with him, and I thought to myself, how can I encourage this boy to pursue his
dreams, and then it came to me. I reached into my shirt pocket and gave him a
bible tract, and I encouraged him to share it with one of his classmates. His
eyes lit up when he realized he was not too young to pursue his own ministry.
I may never know the impact this brief
conversation had on this sixth-grade student, and how my words might have
encouraged him on his pathway to ministry, but God does and that is what is
important.
I truly believe that if we had more people
like Barnabas in our world, we would have more Paul’s.
Perhaps it was the encouragement Paul received
from Barnabas that led him to write the following exhortation: “Therefore,
encourage one another and build each other opt, just as in fact you're doing.”
1Thessalonians 5:11.
Encouragement is one of the most treasured
gifts you can give to anyone.
So, speak that word, write that letter, make
that call, and yes, maybe even pass along that tract to someone today.
If you do, maybe like Barnabas, you will one
day view your name right next to his and Paul’s in God’s Hall of Fame.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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