Barnabas the encourager: the disciple who lifted others up

In the story of the early Church, there are the great figures: Peter, Paul, Stephen. And there are those who work in the shadows, without whom nothing would have held together. Barnabas is one of them. We don't remember his great speeches, but his way of opening doors for others. This quest invites you to get to know him.

What it looks like in your day

The instruction is simple: read Acts 4:36-37 and Acts 9:26-27, then note how Barnabas extended trust. To make your reading bear fruit, ask yourself a few questions:

• What does Barnabas give? In the first passage, he sells a field and brings the money to the apostles. In the second, he gives something rarer: his reputation.
• Whom does he help? A man everyone fears, Saul, the former persecutor of Christians.
• What does he risk? If Saul turned out to be a traitor, Barnabas would have been responsible.
• What does it produce? Without him, Saul, who became Paul, might have remained on the margins.

Then apply it: is there someone around you whom others look at with suspicion, who needs someone to introduce them, recommend them, make room for them? A newcomer in your church, a colleague with a difficult past, a young person who has made mistakes? Today, you can play the role of Barnabas: a word of recommendation, an invitation to your table, an introduction to someone.

If you are in a hurry, keep this one idea: encouraging means giving your trust before you have any guarantees. If you are shy, you can start with a small gesture: a message to someone who lacks confidence.

What the Bible says

Barnabas bears a nickname that says everything about his personality:

“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

Joseph was his given name; the apostles renamed him "Barnabas," meaning "son of consolation," that is, of encouragement. It is a nickname you don't choose: you receive it from those who have benefited from your attitude. Later, his reputation is confirmed:

“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.”

"A good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith": he is not a great orator, but a good man. And because of him, a crowd is added to the Lord. The account of the meeting with Saul in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-27) shows that Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the apostles. He told them what had happened on the road to Damascus: he served as a bridge.

Pitfalls to avoid

Confusing encouragement with flattery. Barnabas does not say what people want to hear: he believes in them and shows it through actions. True encouragement starts from an honest assessment.

Wanting to be known as "the nice one." Barnabas is discreet. He doesn't campaign to be given credit for Paul's success. Encouraging sometimes means stepping back.

Trusting without discernment. Barnabas took a risk, but knowingly: he had listened to Saul. Discernment and trust go together.

Wearing yourself out lifting everyone up. You cannot be everyone's Barnabas. Ask God whom he is putting in front of you today.

Forgetting that Barnabas also needed encouragement. To be a Barnabas, you also need a brother or sister who takes care of you.

Today, think of someone who needs others to believe in them. Make a concrete gesture to show them your trust.