Acts 4. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the
apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”) …
Yesterday, I spoke with a relative who’d been speaking
with another relative about your’s truly. Apparently, I, being who I am, was
the topic of a portion of their conversation – the bottom line was: I was
viewed by each of them (and another relative or two) as someone who was easy to
talk to. The consensus was, since I’d been a pastor, I had a gift with people. My response was, being a pastor
was the least part of whatever gift
or characteristic I possess. I, perhaps, have the gift of empathy.
So, there was this guy in Act whose nickname was Barnabas. Barney was a Cyprian Jew, and
he was by ancestry, a Levite. Now, Levites were not necessarily priests, but
their heritage was that of Temple administration. They were the guys that did
all the other stuff the priests did not do. Priests came through Aaron; I think
the Levites came through Moses.
Barnabas was a Levite by birth and his given name was Joseph. But because he was who he was,
Joseph picked up the name, Barnabas:
Son of Encouragement. Sorry folks, what you have follows you.
Now, gifts are like everything else in life – sometimes they
are a blessing, but sometimes they are twisted into something they were never
meant to be. Encouragement may certainly be for the building up of others, or
it could be used as an excuse to let people continue on a destructive life
path. Encouragement may be to help and comfort, or to motivate; but can be done
in such a way as to give permission to the encouraged
to make choices that may be detrimental to their well-being. But Barney was an effective
encourager and probably had been since his youth.
At one point, I came across a Facebook thing that had to
do with knowing my ‘hippie-name’. (What silliness!) However, being who I am, I
had to think about my hippie-name and what it might be; and I came up with
Quakin… as in quaking Aspen. Part of
it is the beauty of the trees, and part of it is what they do: they quake – in the
least breeze.
I would like to be an asset like beauty and not a
liability like fear when the winds of life kick up. I would certainly like to
be a resource to others and not a cowering, quaking wimp. My gift of empathy
helps me to forget about my own issues and feel for others in the midst of
theirs. You are known by your gifts.
Our lives are to be both sources and resources of good for
others. That’s why we live in a world full of people whose lives are supposed
to be as useful as ours. Everyone has something to add. (Regrettably, we also have
the potential to take away.) As believers in Christ, our victory in life is in
our ability to focus on the Lord, and then to focus on the ones among whom He’s
placed us. We are there for their good.
My “Q” today is just this: What is the nickname others give us? Is it because we use our gifts
for their good, or is it because we focus too much on our own issues?
Father in Heaven,
You have placed me here on this earth, like Your servant Abraham, to do good to
others and contribute to the blessing of their happiness and well-being. Help
me to star focueds in the right direction: on You and others, keeping my gift
useful, and having the appropriate nickname – for Your sake and glory –
Amen.
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