Barnabas

The Power of Encouragement

But Barnabas took [Paul] and brought him to the apostles. He told them how [Paul] 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 9:27

Did you have a nickname when you were young? Somehow my family-given nickname became “Neesie Jane” even though my middle name was Angela. I was small for my age, so peers sometimes called me “Shorty” or Shrimp.” I didn’t appreciate either of those labels.

But what if friends or family members dubbed us with a positive nickname, one that highlighted one of our best characteristics? In the New Testament, a Levite from the island of Cyprus was named John, but Acts 4:36 tells us the apostles called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.”

The primary definition of encourage is “to give courage to: inspire with courage, spirit or hope.” It also can mean” to spur on, stimulate, give help, and call forth.”[1] Every time Barnabas is mentioned in the book of Acts, he is affirming, supporting, or defending someone. What a wonderful legacy, right?

Scripture introduces Barnabas in Acts 4, where he sold a field and donated the proceeds to the Jerusalem church (vv. 36–37). In Acts 9, Paul tried to join the Jerusalem church, but “they were all afraid of him, not believing he was really a disciple” (v. 26). That’s when Barnabas, the encourager, stepped in to verify that Paul has been transformed by his encounter with Jesus Christ (vv. 27–28).

Later, Barnabas sought out Paul and brought him to the church at Antioch, the congregation that first sent Paul out as a missionary (Acts 11:19–25; Acts 13:1–3). Barnabas then accompanied Paul on the trip that took the two friends throughout Asia Minor (Acts 13–14). He also went with Paul to Jerusalem to settle a dispute that had arisen about Gentile Christians (Acts 15).

What if Barnabas hadn’t been such an avid encourager? What if he hadn’t been willing to affirm, support, and defend Paul during the apostle’s early years of ministry?

When I read about Barnabas and the ways he helped support churches in Jerusalem, Antioch, and throughout Asia Minor, I’m both convicted and inspired. You and I may never be a Paul, but we can be a Barnabas—encouraging others to use their lives for God’s glory.

Who needs your encouragement?

Dig Deeper

What controversy arose between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36–41? How does this incident illustrate Barnabas’s commitment to help younger, less mature Christians? Have you ever been involved in a similar situation? What did you do?

Read Galatians 2:11–14. What hypocrisy did Paul call out in Peter? How do you think Barnabas was “led away” by this error? How can we avoid a similar mistake?

What do 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 and 5:12–22 say about the ways we can encourage one another? How can you implement these teachings?

Denise K. Loock

This devotion is part of our series on Not-As-Famous Men and Women of the Bible.

[1] “Encourage,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, online version, accessed September 7, 2021, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/encourage.