Being a Barnabas

Monday January 23 2012

 Acts 9:27. 

“Barnabas also told them how  he boldly preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.”

Barnabas is one of my favorite people in the Bible.  Not only was he an encourager but, it seems, he was also a model for boldness.  While he was in Damascus he proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah.  This was an extremely bold thing to do because Damascus was an important center, ruled by Arabia under Aretus.  The Christians and Jews were open enemies here and it would be dangerous to proclaim the Majesty of Christ.

I have often asked myself,  “Could I openly talk about Jesus if the law of the land forbade it?”  I know I have often missed an opportunity to acknowledge my Heavenly Father because I thought people might not “like” me or receive what I said, positively. Even in a country where we have freedom of speech, I am still a coward many times when it comes to professing my faith. On the other hand, we need to wait for the prompting of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us and give us the  wisdom and “boldness” to say the right things or even open our mouths to speak what the Lord desires us to say.

I encourage you, in the next few days, to pray for an opportunity to speak to someone about the love and saving grace of Jesus and then to act upon the opportunity.

Prayer for today: Today, Lord Jesus, help me see people from your viewpoint.  Help me to look beyond their outer appearance and look towards the heart. I pray for someone to come into my path today that I might encourage and bring hope by speaking about your forgiveness and promises. Thank you, Jesus, for seeing beyond my faults to my needs (as Dottie Rambo said in her song)  Help me not to miss the “diamonds” in the dust but to be patient with all those that come into my life. In Jesus name, Amen.