Barnabas is an unsung hero of his day. Without St. Barnabas, we probably wouldn’t have the Gospel of Mark or the writings of Paul!
When Barnabas was preaching the Gospel in Antioch, he was overwhelmed by the amount of work there was to do. He knew he couldn’t do it on his own so he sent for Paul. So Paul joined him on his journey and preached the Gospel with him for years.
Barnabas saw a gifting in Paul. He believed in him, invested in him, and gave him an opportunity to use his gifts. It’s doubtful that Barnabas had a full understanding of just how great that gift was, and the impact it would have. But can you imagine if Barnabas had tried to do all the work on his own? Because of the way he discipled and believed in Paul, we have some of the most influential and well known scriptures in the Bible.
St. Barnabas also saw something special in Mark! Like Paul, he believed in him, invested in him, and raised him up to use his gifts. Barnabas was a guy who saw people’s gifts and encouraged them to step into their callings.
Who has been a Barnabas to you? And are you being a Barnabas to someone else? Call someone who has encouraged and mentored you and thank them for how they’ve invested in you. Then pray about who you can mentor and raise up on your own!
