The Power of Encouragement: St. Barnabas

There are many blessings in life that we can take for granted. Today’s Memorial of St. Barnabas is a reminder to us that we should thank the Lord for all those persons in our life who have encouraged us and supported us to be our best. Here is his story.

We first encounter St. Barnabas in the Acts of the Apostles. Toward the end of chapter 4 we learn that the early Christians shared their property with each other because they were “of one heart and mind.” (v. 32) Their love for Jesus bound them so closely together that they couldn’t imagine withholding anything from anyone in the community. As a result “there was no needy person among them.” (v. 34) And one example of this great generosity was a man named Joseph.

“Thus Joseph, also named by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated ‘son of encouragement’), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles.” (v. 36-37)

Joseph-Barnabas was a Levite. This means that he was a priest and so trained in the Torah. He was probably educated by the leading rabbis of the Temple. It is significant, then, that he converted to Christianity so soon after the resurrection. That he was mentioned specifically suggests that the property he sold was large. And it also makes sense that, with so many guys named Joseph, they would distinguish this one with a nickname. But why Barnabas? Why “son of encouragement”? We’ll soon find out.

In chapter 6 of Acts, deacons are created. Then chapter 7 has Dcn. Stephen preaching the Gospel, much to the chagrin of the Jews who then stone him to death. A man named Saul was the ringleader of the stoning. That same man, in chapter 9, seeks to go to Damascus to round up more Christians and arrest them but has his miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus and becomes a Christian. He starts to preach in Damascus and is almost murdered by the Jews there. So he flees to Jerusalem, but the last time the Christians saw him, he was overseeing the murder of St. Stephen. So they’re a bit stand-off-ish.

In steps St. Barnabas. Now, Barnabas probably new Saul from their studies in the Temple. And so we read that “Barnabas took charge of him [Saul] and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” (v. 27) Barnabas, the son of encouragement, vouched for Saul in front of the apostles, but when Saul started to preach the Gospel in Jerusalem it cause the Jews to want to murder him.

Now, what’s interesting here is that the apostles didn’t defend Saul. They actually put him in time-out, “when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus,” Saul’s home town. (v. 30) Having sent him away “the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.” (v. 31) Without the caustic voice of Saul, the church in Jerusalem grew.

But then news started to come to the apostles in Jerusalem that there were converts to Christianity from among the Gentiles in Antioch. So, who would they send to check it out? Barnabas of course! “When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he [Barnabas] rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord.” (11:23-24)

They sent Barnabas because he is just the sort of guy who wouldn’t go up to nit-pick and judge and look down on Gentiles. He would go and “encourage them all,” “for he was a good man.” Would that all of us could be remembered for all time as “a good man [or woman] filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.”

But at this point Barnabas had a revelation. He left Antioch and traveled to see his old friend Saul who was still in time-out in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to help him preach the Gospel not to the Jews but to the Gentiles. And so “for a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.” (11:26) Barnabas knew there was something special and important about Saul, and encouraged him to use his skills.

There are other examples of Barnabas’ intercessions. The point is that it was Barnabas who understood that the Christian must be one who encourages more than he condemns, who invites others to be better instead of pointing out failings. And I personally have little doubt that it was the example of Barnabas that eventually convinced St. Paul that one can “speak in human and angelic tongues” but if the Christian does “not have love” he or she is a “resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.” St. Paul goes on in this famous passage to say that “if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)

St. Barnabas is the great example to us of the importance of loving our neighbor enough to encourage them to be their best selves. Knowing the arguments about the faith, and being able to quote Scripture, and theology degrees are all well and good, but if we do not love like St. Barnabas loved, then we’re doing Christianity wrong.

So today, remember those in your life who encouraged you in your faith, who helped you discern a difficult choice. And perhaps send a word of encouragement to someone in your life who could use it. Just say something like, “I’m praying for you today,” or “I’m glad you’re in my life.” And ask St. Barnabas to intercede for you and the church to be more loving.