The ‘Barnabases’ in our lives - 1

We all need cheerleaders in our lives from time to time. Everyone needs someone to encourage him or her. Ever wonder how your life would be like without some encouragement from those who believed in you even more than you believed in yourself? Barnabas was such a man. Every time we encounter this man in the bible, there is something good said about him. We first see him in Acts 4: 36-37. Here we read, “Thus Joseph, also named by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles.” Barnabas epitomized the life of the early Christians. We are told that they were of one heart and mine, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.

We will meet Barnabas again in Acts 11. This time around he is sent to the Church in Antioch that was doing very well both in number and in witnessing to the risen Lord. We are told, “The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to (go to) Antioch.” Here again the virtues of Barnabas are extoled. “When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith.” Barnabas went out of his way to look for Saul, a man who had, only recently, been converted to the faith. In the 9^th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we read all about the conversion of Saul. This conversion took place on the road to Damascus even as Saul was on his way there to bring the adherents of the Way, in chains back to Jerusalem. One can only imagine how lonely Saul might have been, and how people received his newfound faith. Certainly he was received with suspicion and doubts. But Barnabas saw something in Paul that only Jesus Christ had seen, a man who had potentials to bring a lot of souls to God. He believed that the power of God in man was ever greater than the power of evil. He trusted that God could use any one for his glory. Yes, Barnabas went “to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:19-26).

The many men and women who have acted as Barnabas in our lives could be called sons and daughters of encouragement. They looked for the best in us and saw potentials for growth. They stood by us so that we could stand tall; they believed in us even when we doubted our abilities; they defended us and made sure that we succeeded. They pushed us to the breaking point and made sure that we did not give up. When the goings got tough for us they were always there by our side and showed us how to get the tough going. They did all these with no hidden agenda, no ulterior motive and no personal gain.

In the next posting I will continue the reflection on Barnabas especially as he encouraged another disciple to succeed.