Popular or Good or Both

Well, Barnabas was not one of the most popular names for baby boys in Canada in this year like Noah and Liam but I like this guy.  His name means, “Encouragement.”  Not bad. 

The man we meet in the Bible named Barnabas was a generous and wise man. When the early church needed resources, He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the leaders to distribute among the poor.

When those leaders wanted someone to send to a far flung place to figure out what was happening with news they had received, they sent a wise man, Barnabas.

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

Acts 11:24

Now something else I really love about Barnabas is that he was willing to believe in people others had given up on.  The people Barnabas was with had every right to not trust this guy named Saul because he’d been on a rampage for some time trying to persecute and kill as many followers of Jesus as he could find.

But God had changed Saul’s life and Barnabas trusted the change that had happened in him and when a group of new believers needed a teacher, Barnabas went to find an excellent teacher, Saul, to come and help. 

Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people.

Acts 11:25-26

Without the endorsement of Barnabas the folks in Antioch never would have accepted Saul.

Loving God, we don’t know what tasks You have lined up for us.  Maybe we are to be generous financial givers, or church teachers, or just someone who comes alongside someone who’s making a new start after a rocky time.

Help us today to listen to the voice of Your Holy Spirit and be ready and willing to do all we can so many people are helped and You get glory for Your ability to use even us for good.  Amen

Well, our part is to just be simple and open to the direction God’s Spirit wants to whisper into our hearts today and then go do it.  Let’s have a fun and fulfilling day doing just that.