Dr. Long’s message about Barnabas, on September 24, reminded me of the power of our words. Truth be told, while Barnabas is only mentioned 24 times in the Book of Acts, his influence in my life has been life-changing. Words often contribute to the defining moments of our life. The right words, at the right time, have the power to change lives.
For example, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform until his death in 2019, delivered a speech at Howard University for the 2000 Education Leadership Summit. Listen carefully to a few of his words:
“In the early morning, South Baltimore traffic toward I–95 and Washington, I passed near the elementary school that I attended nearly 40 years ago. I spent most of my elementary school training as an unhappy member of what then was called the 3rd group—what we today call special education.
To this day, I remember the cold, incredulous, rejecting words of my 6th grade school counselor. “You want to be a lawyer? Who do you think you are?” When I think back to that time, I do something I have done every morning of my adult life. I thank God for the wonderful adults who gave me my head start in life: I thanked God for Mr. Hollis Posey, the sixth-grade teacher who listened to my dreams, who believed in my potential as a human being, and who taught to my strengths, not my limitations. And I thanked God for my parents, who convinced me that I could become whatever I decided to be.” Congressman Cummings had a Barnabas in his life.
I am blessed to do what I love: serving God through the church. I would not be doing what I love without the Barnabas’ in my life: people who saw something in me that I could not see in myself. Joyce Landroft, an author, calls these people “Balcony People.” She paints an image of a balcony filled with people who are not merely sitting there, but practically hanging over the rail, cheering us on. A balcony full of Barnabas’. What an image!
That’s the kind of person God is calling us to be. When we encounter the basement people in life, those who try to bring us down; when we begin to feel as if we are failing at something, or we can’t do something, when we are about to go under, how wonderful it would be to look up and see a balcony full of people leaning over the railing shouting, “You can do it.” “I believe in you.” “God made you… therefore you are a uniquely gifted child.” Imagine the joy we would experience if we were a part of that balcony, cheering on those we encounter who need a word of encouragement, a word of hope, a word of blessing.
I hope you have a Barnabas in your life. I hope you have a balcony full of them! Think with me: Who is the affirmer in your life; who is your balcony person…who by one small sentence or more, has changed and lifted your opinion of yourself? I want to ask you to do something specific: Take a piece of paper and list their names… the balcony people… the Barnabas’. Once you’ve listed them, drop them a Barnabas card. You don’t have to say much; something like: thank you for being an encourager; thank you for helping me through a tough time; thank you for cheering me on. There’s a second part to this. Once you have your Barnabas list, turn the paper over and list the names of people that God is calling you to be a Barnabas to. You see, what we experience is meant to be shared. A Barnabas, a balcony person: Yes! What a beautiful way to share God’s love and bring hope to the world.
– Rev. Linda Harker, Online Campus Pastor
