One of my favorite “less well known” Christians in the New Testament is Barnabas. He is rightly known as the great encourager. In Acts 11, word reaches the mother church in Jerusalem about what God is doing in the church at Antioch. The leaders of the Jerusalem church decide to send Barnabas to Antioch in order to get a first hand report. The verse below describes what Barnabas did when he arrived…
“Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;” (Acts 11:23, NASB95)
Yes, Barnabas was truly a “son of encouragement” to many believers. However, what really stands out to me about Barnabas is how he is described in the very next verse…
“for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.” (Acts 11:24, NASB95)
The reason Barnabas was able to be such an encourager is because he was that kind of man. The truth is that everyone who is in leadership leads from who they are, not their position on an organizational chart. People don’t follow positions; they follow people. Barnabas was the type of leader that people followed because he was an Acts 11:24 man.
Occasionally, someone will ask me how they can pray for me. Pray that I will always be an Acts 11:24 man.
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