Today's Reading: Mark 6:7-13 

Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18, John 6:60-71

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everyone needs a Barnabas. No, I don’t mean to say that your life is somehow incomplete if you don’t have a friend who goes by “Barney.” Today, the Church remembers Barnabas, an Apostle and companion of St. Paul on his missionary journeys. His name appears throughout Acts–he’s with Paul through many of the hardships Paul endured and he’s there for a lot of the successes of Paul’s ministry, too. Barnabas first shows up in Acts 4 where he sells a field and lays the money at the feet of the disciples. This was common in the early church; the money was used to provide for the needs of the poor, widows, and orphans. It’s in this introduction to Barnabas that we learn that his name is actually Joseph, but the Apostles call him “Barnabas,” which means “Son of Encouragement.” Acts doesn’t tell us exactly why he’s given this nickname, but apparently it stuck.

And I’ll stick with my original thought: everyone needs a Barnabas. We need encouragement. We need someone to walk alongside us in the places that Jesus has sent us, in the circumstances Jesus calls us into where we show loving service toward our neighbor. The terrifying and tremendous thing about a calling like this is that we don’t ever exactly know how these things are going to turn out. God will provide…but He’ll do so according to His timing and His will. Will my efforts to encourage others be met with mockery? Will I ever see the results of what I do?  What if they make fun of me or even hate me for telling them about Jesus?

When Jesus sent out the Apostles, He sent them two by two. There’s a whole list of items they were not supposed to bring. Things like food, money, extra clothes—all of that is unnecessary. But a partner for ministry? That’s a must-have! Jesus sent them out, not just with a companion for their encouragement, but with His very own life-giving name! And encouragement given by the Son of God drives out discouragement like light drives out darkness. Rest assured, knowing that in Christ, you have the greatest “Son of Encouragement” there is! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.