Sons of Encouragement

Not long after this newsletter began, I wrote why I chose the name “Barnabas Notes” for its title. Barnabas, of course, was a companion and fellow evangelist with the apostle Paul from the book of Acts. His name was actually Joseph, but the apostles had taken to calling him “Barnabas” because he was so full of encouragement, apparently. “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Since this newsletter was for the purpose of giving a little encouragement each week to those who need it, it seemed an appropriate name.

This week, I want you to consider being a son or daughter of encouragement yourself, rather than receiving the encouragement. I have told you before how much I have been encouraged while trying to encourage other people. It is a great design that our God has used in us, that we would so often find what we need in what we provide for others. For that reason, I want you to have that same blessing.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that one of the reasons we must assemble with the saints for worship is to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). We do not assemble to be entertained; we are not the audience in the worship service, God is. We assemble to worship Him and to encourage one another. Now, if everyone assembles for worship with that thought in mind, everyone is stimulated, are they not?

What about outside the worship service? The apostle Paul wrote that we should consider each other as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). That is a hard command to obey, especially when some of the people around us (those people we should consider as more important than ourselves) act so mean and ugly to us. Still, Paul does not qualify his command and say we should treat people the right way if they treat us that way first.

Jesus said that He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28) and the example He gave to illustrate that point was His own sacrifice and death on the cross. You remember how He was treated by those people who put Him up on that cross, don’t you? Still, He willingly gave Himself, serving those very people, in that through the blood of Jesus that they shed, those same men had the hope of having their sins washed away. Now, that’s service!

Here is how I want you to be encouraged this week. As you begin your day, I want you to thank God for the life of hope that you have and thank Him for all those blessings you have, including people in your life who love you and treat you the way you should be treated. Then, I want you to consider those people around you who do not treat you as well as they should...and thank God for them, too. What!!?? That’s right. I want you to thank God for the blessing that such challenges in your life really are (see James 1:2, 3). Then, I want you to try and find a way to encourage them or help them in some way. In doing that, you will not only possibly lose an enemy and gain a friend, but even if they do not appreciate your efforts, you will be blessed and encouraged in your own good deeds.

Praise God for His design of us that allows for this kind of blessing. Our enemy really has no way to defend against this kind of offense by the soldiers of the cross. God made you that way because He loves you and I wanted to share this with you today because I do to.