One of the least-known but well-received men in the New Testament, Barnabas is a man from whom we can learn many lessons regarding the faith. He played a crucial role in the spread of the Gospel, yet he is not as famous as Paul or as well-known as Peter. What can we learn from him?
There are many articles written about Barnabas, how he served and what kind of character he had in the early church. This article hopes to give a few reflections and share a few personal insights regarding the ministry of this remarkable man.
1) You don't have to be famous to be effective in the Kingdom
Barnabas is not as famous as Paul or Peter, neither is he well-known like John or Timothy, but he surely played an important role in the early church.
A case in point is his effort in making the church accept Paul the convert, before Paul became the apostle we have come to admire and imitate. In Acts 9:26-28 we read how Paul, then named Saul, was granted acceptance in the church:
"And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out."
Barnabas was the man who bridged the gap between the church and the man who would soon go on mission trips to change the world with the Gospel.
2) You don't need to be "the" minister or preacher to help spread the Gospel
Many people think that only "chosen ones" can spread the Gospel. The task of spreading the Gospel has been given to all men (see Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20), and Barnabas, who happened to be Paul's companion later on, did just that - help spread the Gospel.
In Acts 14 we read that Paul and Barnabas were in Greece, spreading the Gospel there. One key verse indicates that Paul did much of the preaching among them:
"And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker." (Acts 14:12)
There's nothing shameful in playing a supporting role or serving 'behind the scenes' in low-key or unglamorous positions. It's ultimately about Christ's fame, not ours.
3) Being helpful and compassionate is crucial to the work in ministry
Acts 4:36-37 quickly introduces Barnabas to us. We find several important things here, so let's read it:
"And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet."
This verse is very telling of Barnabas' very character. By it we read that Barnabas' name is actually a nickname given to him by the apostles. Joses encouraged others and loved to help others so much that they nicknamed him Son of Encouragement. In fact, he even sold his land and gave the money away to the apostles who "distributed to each as anyone had need" (Acts 4:35).
Such character is important to the work in the Kingdom of God. We should be a people who build others up (see Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:11). We should be a people who would be willing to go the extra mile in helping others for the glory of Christ (see Luke 10:25-37).
