The Encourager We All Need Right Now

It’s easy to feel like we’re constantly being evaluated. By what we say, what we post, how fast we grow, and how well we recover from mistakes. Typically, people are quick to point out what went wrong, and much slower to notice what’s actually going right. Most of us know how it feels to be remembered for a failure instead of a turning point. And if we’re honest, we’ve probably been on both sides of that.

So that’s why this week’s message is all about Barnabas.

Barnabas wasn’t the loudest voice in the room or the one drawing attention to himself. He was the one who stepped in quietly and said, “I believe God is still working here.” When others hesitated, he leaned in. Encouragement wasn’t something he offered occasionally; it was how he lived.

Barnabas showed us the power in meeting people where they were and recognizing their true potential. And because he chose to believe in people when it wasn’t easy or popular, lives were changed in ways he probably never fully realized.

Acts 4:36–37, Acts 9:26–27, Acts 11:23–24, Acts 15:36–39

Barnabas wasn’t even his real name. His given name was Joseph. The apostles renamed him Barnabas because his life so clearly reflected encouragement that it became his identity.

When the early church was just beginning, and resources were scarce, Barnabas sold land and gave the money freely. No strings attached. No recognition sought. He trusted God with his security so others could be strengthened and not be without.

But the moment that defines Barnabas most clearly comes when Saul enters the picture.

Saul, the former persecutor of Christians, had just experienced a radical encounter with Jesus. But no one trusted him. The believers were afraid, suspicious, and understandably guarded. Saul’s past was less than admirable, and his transformation was still quite new. Everyone kept their distance.

Everyone except Barnabas.

Barnabas stepped forward and vouched for Saul. He listened to his story. He believed that God had truly changed him. He brought Saul before the apostles and defended him when no one else would.

That moment mattered more than Barnabas probably realized. Because Saul would later become Paul. And without Barnabas, Paul may never have been welcomed, trained, or trusted the way he was.

Later on, Barnabas does it again.

When a young man named John Mark fails on a missionary journey and walks away, Paul refuses to give him another chance. Barnabas disagrees. He sees growth where Paul sees failure. He feels he’s worthy of restoration instead of rejection. He takes John Mark under his wing and continues pouring into him.

Scripture later shows us that John Mark becomes a valuable leader and a contributor to the early church.

Barnabas was so faithful. And his faithfulness created space for others to become who God had already called them to be.

Barnabas reminds us that not everyone is called to lead from the front, but everyone is called to love well.

He represents:

In today’s world, encouragement can feel rare. We’re quick to label people by their past, their mistakes, or their current struggles. Barnabas shows us another way. He teaches us that encouragement is not ignoring the truth; it is believing that God is still at work.

Barnabas didn’t fix people. He simply walked with them.

That’s something many of us need to hear. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to rescue anyone. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be willing.

Encouragement today might look like:

And sometimes encouragement looks like inviting someone into community — even something as simple as inviting them to church, a Bible study, or a place where they can experience God’s love through others.

Barnabas teaches us that encouragement creates room for transformation. And God often does His deepest work in that space.

Here are a few books that align beautifully with Barnabas’s story and this theme of encouragement and faith-building:

(As always, these links are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it supports this ministry at no additional cost to you. Thank you for being here.)