Barnabas is such an interesting character in the Bible. He was appointed by the church in Jerusalem to go to Antioch of Syria to help the church that was developing there.
The church leaders obviously had a great deal of confidence in him to place the responsibility for this very important ministry in his care.
Watching him throughout his ministry, it would appear that he was a Spirit-filled servant of Christ that was humble in life and ministry. He recognized that God had done a great work in Paul when no one else saw God in him. As they ministered together in Antioch, they are referred to as Barnabas and Saul, but very soon after their departure on the first missionary journey the order of prominence changes and they are called Paul and Barnabas. It would seem that as the pastor, Barnabas was listed first, but when they became missionaries, Paul would be listed first. This did not seem to trouble Barnabas. He humbly continued to serve the Lord with all of his heart. Being first did not matter. He simply wanted the Lord’s work to move forward and God to be honored.
Many other commendable attributes could be given to Barnabas, but the one that stood out above others to the church at Jerusalem was his ability to encourage others. His parents named him Joses, but the church called him Barnabas—son of consolation. It was as though his presence changed the atmosphere in a room. Where clouds of fear or doubt had gathered, they were dispersed by his presence and the sunlight of hope moved in to encourage troubled hearts. What kind of difference are we making in our world?
We are looking forward to meeting in Germany this month with the prayer that we will all leave more encouraged to serve the Lord in an atmosphere of hope. Hope, not in our abilities and talents, but hope in the goodness of God. Please pray with us that this will be a profitable time for everyone who attends. This is only the third time we have held one of these conferences. The first two were a blessing, and we have every reason to believe that this one will be the same.
Encourage those around you today in the great battle for world evangelization.
In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. Whetstone here to let him know.