“When he (Paul) 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. He told them how Saul (Paul) 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. So Saul (Paul) stayed with them and moved freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”
Acts 9:26 – 30
Here is an excellent manifestation of the gift that God had placed in Barnabas through the Holy Spirit. God used Barnabas to encourage the disciples to accept Paul as one of them; this in turn encouraged Paul to ‘move about freely’ and to continue the ministry, which he had begun in Damascus.
In getting the disciples to accept Paul, Barnabas tells them about Paul’s exploits in Damascus. Now try and imagine Paul having to tell the disciples about his own exploits. How many of them would actually believe him? Besides, it never feels wonderful having to sing one’s own praise in order to prove one’s self.
What Barnabas actually did here was to reconcile Paul to the believers, much the same way that Jesus reconciled us back to God the Father. Barnabas did what Christ would do, he was Christ -like.
I don’t think that Barnabas could have had a more difficult situation.
First of all, he’s got this new convert who was literally a mass murderer and had most likely killed some of Barnabas’ brethren including Stephen in Acts chapter 8 verse 1.
Secondly, the disciples were afraid of Paul; they didn’t need much to jog their memory concerning Paul’s former extracurricular activities.
So, how do you reconcile a former potential mass murderer to a bunch of people whom this person used to target, while bypassing your own personal fears and sorrows towards someone like Paul. It’s much like introducing a sheep in wolf’s clothing to a herd of sheep and then telling the sheep that what they are looking at is actually a sheep, even though it has the appearance of a wolf. But Barnabas succeeded.
God had indeed given him the gift of encouragement.
“If it is encouraging, let him encourage…” Romans 12:8a
PRAYER
“The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”
Isaiah 50:4a
“Dear Lord Jesus,
I thank you for the various encouragement I have received which have brought me to where I am today in my walk with you. I thank you for bearing me in your arms whenever I was down. Lord, I also thank you for the times that you have used me to encourage others, whether I knew what I was doing or not.
Lord Jesus, I plead for forgiveness for every seed of discouragement that I have sown in other people’s lives and I receive the ability to minister grace to others. Give me a tongue that sustains the weary so that I may sow seeds of encouragement in the lives of others as they endeavor to walk with you and fulfil their life’s calling. All this I pray in Jesus mighty name, Amen.”
PLUS
Ask God to bring someone your way whom you can encourage today, whether a new convert or a believer who is in need of a little push to keep moving.
Ask God to help you engage in the ministry of reconciliation of man to God (evangelism) and man to man (peacemaker, Matthew 5:9).
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