Epitaph? What Will It Be?

One of the believers was named Joseph. The apostles called him Barnabas, a name that means “one who encourages others.” Acts 4:36

We are good at putting ourselves in a good light, even when things don’t look that way to others. No one likes to be thought badly of and the natural thing is to act and behave in such a way that others will like us, and maybe even think we are funny.

Our National bard put it well when he said, “Ah wid some power the Giftie gie us, tae see oorselves as ithers see us”. Wise words, but not always heeded. We don’t get a complete picture of Barnabas in the New Testament, but what we do know should give us a goal.

If you are in a crowd of friends, and some pick on you, put you down, and belittle you my guess is that you don’t feel good about yourself and are not likely to help others to feel good about themselves. If, on the other hand, there are a few friends who help and encourage you, and even see past your faults to boost your confidence, I suggest that will make you want to do the same and help others. What an encouragement we can be, if we but take the time and opportunities when they arise.

You must have noticed that Barnabas did not confer this ‘encourager’ title on himself. It was the apostles around him, noticing how he acted with others, who called him “one who encourages others”. What a lovely, amazing, and yes Christ like trait to possess. When the time comes for others to put a headstone over your grave, what kind of person will it say you had been? A Barnabas? A son or daughter of encouragement? In our openly sarcastic society, I earnestly pray that simple prayer, and with God’s help it may just happen if I let His love shine through. Will you join me?