Please read the passage before reading the comments.
Once in a while, official investigators encourage. The Church in Jerusalem had heard some disturbing rumors about the Church in Antioch, that they were putting pagan believers on a par with believers of Jewish background. The leaders sent Barnabas to investigate.
What Barnabas saw was God’s grace at work, and he encouraged the believers to carry on. Giving encouragement is a primary work of the Church. Condemning sin is not so important as encouraging repentance and proclaiming the forgiveness of sins.
Spectators at cross country meets encourage the runners. They cheer the last arrivals at the finish line as much as those who came in first. I have heard, “almost there” shouted to the stragglers to encourage them. Many of the runners run despite personal disabilities and handicaps; they welcome the encouragement and the support they receive as they struggle with their difficulties.
Today, we must start the rest of our lives by encouraging one another. To encourage, one must see the good in others as Barnabas saw. He was described as a person of faith. We are people of faith. We demonstrate that faith by encouraging the good we see in others.
Leave a Reply