“Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus” (Acts 9:27 NLT).
After Saul became a follower of Jesus at Damascus, he returned to Jerusalem. There he sought to meet with the apostles, but they didn’t trust that the former persecutor had really changed. They were afraid to meet with him. But a believer named Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement,” vouched for Saul and presented him to the apostles, so they accepted him.
What a great friend to have! Someone to stand up for you and put his own name on the line for you, so that you can have a second chance at life. How like Jesus was this Barnabas, who reconciled Saul and the apostles to one another. Saul had been a ringleader of the early persecution of the church. He was even present at the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Yet, now he was accepted as one of the disciples of Jesus. Surely it was the voice of the Spirit of Christ that spoke through Barnabas that the apostles so quickly forgave and accepted Saul, who later changed his name to “Paul.”
O that more of us would be a Barnabas, a peacemaker and a reconciler for Jesus!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Jesus who is our Mediator. For He is the One who brought us to You. He is our Waymaker and peace, so that we are no longer far from You, but brought near. Now fill us afresh today with Your Spirit, so that we carry Your message of reconciliation to those far from You in this world. Strengthen us for the work. In Jesus’ name, amen.