Day 238: Acts 9:27–31

Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how, on the road, Saul had seen the Lord, and that He had talked to him (v. 27).

God had issued Saul an undeniable apostolic calling. He probably assumed his place was with the other apostles. But when he arrived in Jerusalem and tried to associate with them, “they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26 hcsb). As despicable as he had been, our hearts sting for him a little, don’t they? Perhaps each of us can relate to the unique stab of loneliness.

Two wonderful words begin the next verse: “But Barnabas.” We will meet many people through our study. Some will be honorable. Others will not. A few will be heroes. Without a doubt Barnabas was a hero. Few things touch my heart more than Christian men who risk vulnerability in obedience to Christ. Barnabas reached out a helping hand to a discouraged man. Saul took that hand. Two lives bonded in that moment.

Barnabas offers us an example we don’t want to miss. His name had been Joseph, but the disciples renamed him “son of encouragement.” God used Barnabas over and over to give others the courage to be the people He had called them to be. When Barnabas brought Saul before the other apostles, they may have remembered how each of them had been the focus of his encouragement at one time or another. Now he encouraged them to accept a new brother. Many probably criticized Barnabas for being gullible concerning Saul. Barnabas was willing to give people a chance even when others weren’t.

Barnabas persuaded the apostles to accept the new convert, and the most powerful preacher in all Christendom was set loose in Jerusalem. Consequently, Saul did such a fine job of debating the Grecian Jews, he nearly got himself killed. The brothers pushed Saul on a boat to Tarsus to keep him from losing his head. I can’t help but chuckle at the words that follow Saul’s departure: “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace” (Acts 9:31 hcsb). Saul had a way of stirring things up. No doubt, Tarsus had enjoyed her last breath of peace for a while. Saul was on his way.

Meanwhile, the church he left behind “was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers” (v. 31). Sounds like Barnabas still hung around awhile, doesn’t it? Let’s look for ways to be a Barnabas in another’s life.