- This is part of a leadership series on the theme of encouragement -
No other New Testament character illustrates the ability to encourage more strongly than Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement.” Think of that alone: here was a man named Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36). He was a wealthy and generous man who somehow earned a wonderful nickname. What must he have done to impress the apostles to such an extent that they said, “Joseph isn’t an accurate name for you; your name should be Barnabas because you are such a son of encouragement”?
Luke tells us,
When [Saul] 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.
Acts 9:26-27
The disciples in Jerusalem were understandably afraid of Saul of Tarsus. Before his conversion, Saul had done everything in his power to destroy the church (9:1-2). It’s no wonder they questioned the validity of his profession of faith in Christ. As a devout Pharisee, Saul had doggedly hunted down and persecuted followers of Jesus; this could have been just another one of his tricks.
Due to their suspicion, it seemed as if Saul’s ministry would flounder before it ever got started. And that might have happened had not Barnabas stood in the gap beside Saul, leading him to the apostles and testifying concerning his conversion and subsequent ministry. Barnabas encouraged the apostles to bless Saul’s ministry, and they responded favorably. Barnabas provided the timely support that Saul needed to launch his ministry.
Perhaps this is one reason why Saul (who was later known as Paul) spoke so often of total forgiveness and the encouraging hope it provides. He had experienced it in such a tangible way through the ministry of the “Son of Encouragement.” Had Barnabas not offered his hand in fellowship to this penitent man whose life had been turned absolutely upside down, Saul may never have been able to fully experience the freedom he so loudly proclaimed to others. As Jim McGuiggan writes,
The trouble is, you see, they [the remorseful and penitent] can’t enjoy the forgiveness God has freely given them, because you, we, make them doubt it. They haven’t the strength or assurance to live in the joy and freedom of a gracious God’s free-flowing grace.[1]
Effective leaders, like Barnabas, sustain hope by offering words of support. Suppose for a moment that Barnabas had said nothing on Saul’s behalf. What might have happened? In what ways did his actions demonstrate both love and courage? Think for a moment about how you can follow his example, whether with a family member, a co-worker or a peer. A little bit of encouragement can go a long way toward motivating those around you.
Follow: http://twitter.com/kennethboa
Connect on Facebook: Kenneth Boa
[1] Jim McGuiggan, The God of the Towel (West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing, 1997), p. 100.
How interesting. Never pondered this aspect of Saul’s story before. While this is part of your leadership series, I have found that my encouragement of my own bosses and superiors can be as important to them as their encouragement and supervision is to me as their employee.