A Barnabas is someone who asks good questions and sometimes that makes all the difference. I was listening to someone recently who was upset about a particular situation. He’d been venting for a while, when I asked, “What do you want?” “What I want is for [coworker]...
Barnabas moved people toward maturity rather than dependence. Instead of simply telling people what to do, he helped people mature in making their own godly decisions. In this way, people grew in responsibility and in leadership. Paul casts a beautiful vision for this...
A Barnabas assumes that God has different plans for different people. What one person is supposed to do isn’t necessarily the same as what another person is supposed to do. Barnabas recognized this as he helped establish Paul among the apostles (Acts 9:26-28). We also...
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Each person is responsible before God, yet we live in community. In healthy, faith-based relationships, we can honor one another and hold one another accountable. Barnabas did this for Paul and...
Welcome to a six-week series on Barnabas, one of my favorite people in the Bible. During this Lenten season, we can engage together in this devotional series that includes scriptural insights, food for thought, and points of action. Often overlooked but deeply...
Periodically I find it necessary to take a step back and reflect on my life, my goals, and the direction I’m heading. Over the summer can be a great time to do that. Get away to the woods, the mountains, the ocean, the lakes… wherever is peaceful enough for you to...
