Acts 4:36-37 NKJV — And Joses (or Joseph), 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.
Acts 11:24 NKJV — For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Heroes
Many people would like to be like Paul who was the Apostle born out of due season that was sent to the Gentiles (people like most of us reading this today). Some would like to be like Peter whose heart was loyal to the Lord even when he denied Him, and who was used to establish the New Testament Church. Some would like to be like John who was the disciple that knew Jesus loved him. Most of us will never be able to attain to the feats that these men accomplished for the Lord, but we could all be like Barnabas. And maybe he is the one we all need to imitate in our day.
Barnabas was a Good Man
His name was Joses, some translations say Joseph, and Barnabas was apparently a nickname that seemed to stick with him. That name means encourager. He sold land and put it in the communal treasury for the use of all the new believers. He was guided by the Holy Spirit (not by His own will and desires), he was controlled by his confidence in the Lord (his faith), and because of him many were delivered from hell and were saved for heaven. They were added to the Lord. He was one who gave John Mark a second chance after he had left Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. He was what we all ought to be.
Good men
There is really only one man who was really good and that was the Lord. In Luke 18:19, the Lord made that point with a rich man who called Him good. “Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.’” The point being that since the ruler who was rich didn’t consider the Lord to be God, he shouldn’t have been calling him good. From a natural standpoint, we are told that there is no one who does good (Romans 3:12). But from man’s standpoint Barnabas was a good man.
We could use more men and women who like Barnabas put others ahead of themselves. Who encourage rather than discourage. Who build up rather than tear down.
I wonder How many of us who claim to be the Lord’s disciples are called “good men (or women)” by those who know us?
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of July 5, 2020
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