For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles. (Acts 4:36–37)

Is Anyone Knocking on Your Door?

by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The office hallway was dark. I roamed it that night to see if I could talk with a professor to lift my spirits. I was as drained and destitute as I had ever been. Car problems. Child-injury problems. Money problems. My mother-in-law’s cancer problems. Cynthia’s pregnancy problems. It was my last year of seminary, and it seemed as though all was lost.

Then I saw light shining beneath a door. My knock was followed by a stern look and an abrupt, “What do you want?” Tears filled my eyes. As I opened my mouth, he repeated, “What do you want? I’m busy preparing for tomorrow.” I stopped, looked down, sighed, and mumbled, “Nothing.” I walked away. He meant no harm, but he missed a divine appointment to elevate a dragging soul.   

Thankfully, the sting of that memory is eclipsed by the joy of many fond ones like when Professor Howard Hendricks and I would sit on a campus bench, our special meeting spot, to talk about life and ministry.

My time in seminary deeply impressed upon me the value of having a Barnabas in our lives—one who encourages us. Such people can help you take one more step when you feel like collapsing. Likewise, such people can help you win a race you never thought you’d even enter. May God bless each one of them!

But there’s one thing even more rewarding than having a Barnabas in your life . . . it’s being a Barnabas in the lives of others! My friend, Jonathan Murphy, has written an excellent book to that effect, so we wanted to send out an excerpt to inspire you to be a Barnabas for those God has put in your circle. After all, you’ll never know who’ll come knocking on your door one day!

Authentic Influencer

by Jonathan Murphy

A godly influencer saturates any and every environment for God.

God has a vision for His world. He dreams of what will be. The story of the Scriptures shows us where God’s been heading all along. The Bible articulates not only God’s dream but also His doings that guarantee its reality, and this despite Satan’s hijacking maneuver. Of course, the only way of catching God’s vision is if you read His version of life. The Bible is not just a map of history but also a compass for navigating life well. It steers our lives according to God’s vision of the good life for the sake of the world around us.

Barnabas caught this vision.

Barnabas saw the world as God wants to make it. He saw where God is heading in history. In light of that, he made God’s vision of the good life his personal dream to pursue.

Every follower of Jesus must do the same. Influence in your little corner of the world begins there. This is precisely why Barnabas’s account is given to us in the book of Acts—he is a role model for followers of Jesus.

Barnabas showed us three accessible and hands-on ways you can express God’s heart toward those around you.

First, Barnabas was generous with his words. This is perhaps what he is best known for today—words of encouragement. The name we know him by, Barnabas, is a nickname, not his birth name. And while nicknames then, like today, could be cruel, they could also be complimentary. Barnabas is a nickname of high praise; it is a compliment—son of encouragement. Here is one whose words put a spring in another’s step, a smile on a face, and hope in others’ hearts.

Second, Barnabas was generous with his wallet. Of the many things that could be said of Barnabas, God wants the record to show that our role model was generous with his stuff. That’s as practical as it gets: sacrificial giving. He owns a piece of farmland—presumably on the island of Cyprus—and he sold it. He didn’t just think of selling it. He didn’t just plan to sell it one day or leave it as part of his estate. He actually sold it. Why? Because there were needs in the lives of those around him. That’s the context of this section of Acts. Who knows, perhaps all those kids in Sunday school causing a ruckus are noisy because they’re hungry. “Let’s go buy some food,” Barnabas would say. The proceeds from the sale of his land may have eased the burdens of those around him. After all, God’s people were his family.

Third, Barnabas was generous in his walk. Barnabas pursued a walk of humility, selflessness, and self-abandon. He gave of himself, not just of his stuff. I’m talking about status. Barnabas gave up his high standing in the structures of that culture. He didn’t climb up the ladder of perceived importance; he chose to climb down.

Excerpt taken from Authentic Influencer: The Barnabas Way of Shaping Lives for Jesus by Jonathan Murphy. Copyright 2023 by Jonathan Murphy. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson.  Purchase the book.

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