"Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the
apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement.)"
(Acts 4:36 AMP)
Just as
you deserved a second chance, don’t they deserve the same? What if people
locked you into the person you used to be? What
if they kept throwing in your face your drug and alcohol abuse; your adultery;
your stealing; your gossiping; your repossessions; your foreclosure; your
unemployment; your 3rd marriage…would that be acceptable?
Acts
chapter 4, verse 36, the Bible identifies a man who will become a trusted
and important leader of the early Christian church. It calls him "Joseph, a Levite and native of
Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son
of Encouragement.)" (AMP) Well, later we see Barnabas
go into action when the Christians are
trying to decide how to handle the most notorious convert they had - Saul of Tarsus;
the man who until recently had been the number one persecutor of the followers
of Christ. But that
was until he had an encounter with Him for himself.
Acts
9:26-27, "When he 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 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." (NIV). Barnabas introduces Saul and
opens the door for him to the apostles. Here's the Son of Encouragement putting
an arm around a new believer and giving him a chance when no one else would.
I wonder
how much better our homes, churches, jobs, communities would be, if only we
were more like Barnabas? If we encouraged, included, supported, defended and
helped others. Instead of joining the critical clan in competing, comparing,
and criticizing. And truth is, Saul had a lot against him, and he was the one
who put all of it against himself. No one made him do the things he did. He was
a horrible man. Yes, that was his truth. But Jesus changed him, therefore who
had the right to judge his change? I believe we spend so much time talking
about who and what someone was, that we miss out on all the great things
they’ve become and accomplished since. I mean if your daughter was a straight D
student, and then sought out help with tutors, and put in extra hard work, to
now become a straight A student…would you continue to throw her past D’s in her
face? If your spouse wasn’t as attentive the first 5 years of your marriage,
but has been the last 5 years of your marriage, do you hold the first 5 years
over their head forever? If they weren’t growing, but now they are, do you keep
watering their past weeds, or celebrate that they’ve gotten rid of them? They’re
better this year than they were last year, but do you keep them mentally
imprisoned in 2017?
That’s
why I love Barnabas’ response to Saul. Knowing who he was, what he did and
where he came from, still when he brought him before the people, he spoke of
who he is now. Why not allow today to be the day you treat others likewise.
Stop speaking of their Then, and speak of their Now, because you have no idea
what great things God can still do for them in their Later.
That's
the story of Barnabas's life. In chapter 11
we're told that the believers (who were almost all Jewish at this point)
weren't sure how to respond to the news that Gentiles were coming to Christ in
Antioch. Guess who
they sent to check it out? "They sent Barnabas,"
it says. "When he
arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged
them all to remain true to the Lord."
What did he do? "Encouraged
them all," what else would you expect from Mr.
Encouragement?
Let’s read the text in full: “Those who had been scattered by
the persecution triggered by Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their
fellow Jews. Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to
Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus.
God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on
it—quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master. When
the church in Jerusalem got wind of this, THEY SENT BARNABAS TO ANTIOCH TO
CHECK ON THINGS. As soon as he arrived, he saw that God was behind and in it
all. He threw himself in with them, got behind them, urging them to stay with
it the rest of their lives. He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and
confident in the Holy Spirit’s ways. The community grew large and strong in the
Master. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. He
found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year,
meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that
the disciples were for the first time called Christians.”
(MSG)
How phenomenal of a leader and believer is Barnabas?
Not only does he exemplify leadership, but also character, integrity,
credibility, accountability, and encouragement.
And does he take any credit for himself? Absolutely not. In fact, he goes
looking for Saul (the one
no one wanted to include, encourage, support and help),
and he had him to join him in the work of strengthening the church. In a place
of persecution, their work for the Lord prospered for the people. It’s in this
setting in which disciples are first called Christians, in the midst of one man
who simply encouraged all. One man who simply lived up to his name.
Then to
take it a step further, later, when Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement on a
young missionary named Mark, it's Barnabas who takes a chance on this young man
who actually flunked out once as a missionary and he disciples him into leadership. The point's obvious.,
Barnabas became what he was called; he did what his name indicated he would do.
Barnabas encouraged. What are you supposed to be doing? Are you doing it?
Daniel
means ‘God is my judge’; David means ‘beloved’; Ruth means ‘friend’. And each
lived up to their names. What name are you living up to?
Do the people around you remember and probably act out
the names that they've been called? You know as parents I think we forget the
power of our words sometimes to make our children
feel very big or very small. We call them lazy, or stupid, or rebel, or uncaring. And chances are,
that will imprint the tape in their heart and it'll play back their whole life!
In
counseling, there are so many terms that come up that I absolutely detest.
Things like, “you’ll never be nothing because your daddy wasn’t nothing”; “you
act just like your no good mama”; “his daddy went to jail and he’s on his way
just like him”; “her mama got pregnant at 16, just wait and see, the way she
act and dress, she’s gonna be just like her”. Those
kinds of words, names and labeling are easy to
attach, but never
are they so easy to detach from. Which Is Why We Should Be Ever So
Careful How We Label People. Stop Calling Them “Mean, Rude, Nasty”,
Don’t Label Them With What You Wouldn’t Want To Wear On Your Own Back.
That's why it's so important to consistently call
people what we want them to become; caring, unselfish, helper,
listener, creative, smart, accomplished, better, changed.
Even when you see just a flash of a great trait, tell them how much that means
to you. Celebrate
their every improvement, no matter the size of it.
Now, as for all of us as believer:
We Are Called Christians.
But Are We Living
Up To That Name? And if someone were to ask if YOU live your CHRISTIAN LIFE, CHRIST-LIKE, what
would be your HONEST response?
After all, Jesus was:
“Loving”
(John 13:1, “It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the
Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and
go to the Father. He had loved His own who were in the world. He loved them to
the end.” (NLV);
If you
were accused of being a Christian (Christ-Like), would you be found guilty…or
innocent of all charges?
You know
in preparing this, I thought of Benjamin, when his mother birthed him and what
she called him: Genesis 35:18, says “With her last breath, for she was now
dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him
Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune).” (MSG) Can you imagine what people can turn
out to be if we call them (not by the past, not by the hurt, not by their
failures or mistakes, not by their sin or short-comings, not by their
experience, not by our mood or attitude), but by what they can become!
Benjamin
went from being the son of pain, to the son of good fortune, and all because
one person refused to allow him to wear a label he was not to be called by! You
have the power to change what someone’s been called the same way! Just speak
well of them and what they will become!
Don’t get
stuck on how they behave, conduct themselves, what they say and do. Don’t get
stuck on their past, their failures and mistakes. Don’t even get stuck in their
personality flaws. Because truth is, we ALL have issues, flaws, mistakes and a
past.
With that
said, let’s start today by behaving by the name in which we are called,
Christians, who live Christ-Like. God is your Maker, so never settle for
wearing a Label He didn’t Design for you! You have been called
Christian. You have been called to be Christ-Like. Today, Remember Who you
represent, and Whose Name you represent, and Live Up to It! And while You do
so, make sure you give that same opportunity and grace to Others as well!
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