“And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.” – Acts 9:26
The story of Paul’s conversion is a pivotal story in the life of Christianity. Paul was a young Jewish leader who was focused on combating the growing number of people who were following Jesus. Paul decided to expand his persecution of Christians to Damascus. While on the road to Damascus, Paul is knocked off his horse and blinded. At the same moment, he hears the voice of Jesus. From this moment on, Paul, who once persecuted the Church, now works to spread the news of Christ around the world.
Paul’s work helped the young church to grow and blessed many lives. Paul’s writings make up a significant amount of our New Testament. Paul, who tried to stop the growth of the church, is responsible for much of its early success and a great deal of our present theology. Paul did not accomplish this work alone. He had many people who helped make his mission possible. One of the most significant people in the ministry of Paul was Barnabas.
When Paul first became a follower of Jesus, he was not well received by the other disciples. Who could blame them? Paul had been, “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” (Acts 9:1) Now he was a believer, but the disciples were not sure he was really on their team. It was Barnabas who interceded and convinced the disciples in Jerusalem that Paul was a genuine disciple who had met Jesus on the road. It was Barnabas’ willingness to vouch for Paul and encourage the church to accept him that allowed Paul to be accepted by the church leadership.
Barnabas’ encouraging words to the disciples, on Paul’s behalf, helped calm many fears about persecution and the legitimacy of Paul’s conversion. It opened the door to a ministry that blessed lives around the world. Barnabas believed in Paul, he encouraged Paul, and encouraged others to do so as well.
The actions of Barnabas remind us that the words we use matter. Through Barnabas, we see that intentional encouragement and kind words can make a significant difference in the lives of the people around us. When we are willing to speak encouraging words to someone, or on their behalf, we build them up. Who will you encourage today? Will you speak up for others who need encouragement? If we speak well of others and speak kindly to others, we will join Paul and Barnabas on the same mission to share the love of God with the world.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
