Being an Encouragement

“After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.  But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

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.  So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 9:23-28 NIV)

The Christian journey didn’t start out too well for Paul (at this point, he was still referred to as Saul).  Once the most stalwart defender of Judaism and a darling of the Jewish elite, he now was working for the “enemy” and it wasn’t sitting too well.  After speaking boldly in the name of Jesus and confounding the arguments of the Jews, their frustration with this new convert rose to the point of wanting him dead.  Fleeing for his life, Paul headed for Jerusalem in hopes of joining up with other followers there, but they didn’t trust he had truly become a follower of Jesus and so refused to meet with him.  I can imagine Paul was very discouraged.

We all experience points in our lives where life becomes very discouraging.  Everything seems to be on a downhill slide.   That’s when we need someone like Barnabas, whose name meant “son of encouragement.”  He believed Paul and was confident his conversion was real.  At a time of great discouragement for Paul, he came along side of him and defended him before the apostles.  He was the encouragement Paul desperately needed at the time.  

I remember a time years ago when I was really struggling.  My girlfriend had just broken up with me and a couple I had recently met invited me to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with them.  It was a wonderful time as they loved and encouraged me.  I left their home at the end of the weekend with a new outlook on my life.  Though there were still rough days ahead, this couple served as the encouragement I had desperately needed.  

Do you know someone who is very discouraged?   Could you possibly be the encouragement they desperately need?    Today, consider how you can be a Barnabas to them.  As God used him in such a significant way in Paul’s life, so, too, can he use you in someone else’s life.

© Jim Musser 2015