“Now
those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen
traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch…. The Lord’s hand was with
them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church
at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the
grace of God, he was glad and encouraged
them all to remain true to the Lord with all their heart” (Acts 11: 19 – 23
NIV84)
The disciples gave one of the believers, a man named Joseph,
a nickname. They called him Barnabas,
which means Son of Encouragement.
Barnabas is probably best known as a co-worker with Paul on some of his
first missionary journeys, but I think that his ministry was really one of
encouragement. Those in need were
encouraged by his generosity when he sold his land and donated the money. I’m sure that Mark was greatly encouraged
when Barnabas was willing to give him a second chance even though he had
abandoned Paul and Barnabas on an earlier mission trip. Finally, the Christians in Antioch were
encouraged by Barnabas coming to them to support them in the work they were
doing there.
Encouragement is such a simple thing, but so often we are
caught up in our own busy lives and don’t recognize the pain or discouragement
that others might be feeling. After all
– it’s not our problem. Yet, for one
small moment, we could bring a smile or lift the spirits of someone simply by
taking the time to listen and offer a kind word of encouragement.
We are beginning one of the most stressful times of the
year. It is often one of the toughest
times of the year for those who have lost loved ones in the past 12 months, and
given our current economic conditions, it may also be a difficult time for
parents as they struggle to put food on the table, much less provide their
child’s dream gift. People will be on
edge and often their attitudes and outbursts will reflect that.
Many times, cashiers, salespeople, and food servers will take
the brunt of people’s frustration and anger.
The long hours standing and dealing with stressed out, angry people will
make them especially needy. A friendly
smile or “how are you today” might make all the difference.
During this season especially, I hope that each of us will take
the time to offer encouragement. Put a
smile on your face. Say a few friendly
words. Control your own stress and resist the urge to complain and act like Mr.
Scrooge.
Regardless of what’s going on in your life, give someone
else a few minutes of attention. Send a
card to let someone know you have been thinking about him or her. Let them know that you are praying for
them. It will only take a moment for you
to become the son or daughter of encouragement to someone else! Try it, and I think you will find that it
will brighten your day as well.
“Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”
(Thessalonians 5: 11 NIV84).
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