The Barnabas Way of Shaping Lives for Jesus: A 5-Day DevotionalExemplo

DAY 2: Hands-On Vision

Followers of Jesus Christ have a wonderful calling—a Great Commission—to bring God’s vision for His world into reality on earth. Barnabas shows us an accessible pathway to God’s vision for the world and how to make it the good life to pursue. Every follower of Jesus begins by influencing his or her little corner of the world. This is precisely why Barnabas’s account is intentionally given to us in the Book of Acts. Barnabas (a nickname for Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, that means “son of encouragement”) sells farmland and gives the proceeds to the apostles of the first church in Jerusalem (see Acts 4:36–37). In the context of the church family during tough times of persecution in Jerusalem, Barnabas looked after others in love because he looked to God in faith. Barnabas aligned his life according to God’s vision for the church by making it his personal vision to pursue.

A vision can express itself in a mission. Those who “get” God get to work. Barnabas was that type of person. He wasn’t just an optimistic futurist, a dreamer. He was very much a present pragmatist, a doer. Barnabas showed us three accessible and hands-on ways you can express God’s heart toward those around you. First, Barnabas was generous with his words of encouragement as evidenced by the nickname the apostles gave him.

Second, Barnabas was generous with his wallet. That’s as practical as it gets: sacrificial giving. He saw needs in the lives of those around him, so he sold a piece of land to help meet those needs. Barnabas was generous with his stuff because he served a God who is generous—with His stuff and with His Son. And so Barnabas was generous with his wallet. Your authentic influence will spread to those around you when you are generous with your stuff—God’s stuff!

Third, Barnabas was generous in his walk. Barnabas pursued a walk of humility, selflessness, and self-abandon. He gave of himself, not just of his stuff. He didn’t climb up the ladder of perceived importance; he chose to climb down. As a Levite from Cyprus, he was from an elite tribe in the Jewish way of viewing their nation. And as a landowner, he had status as well. The minority who owned land sold it at great cost to themselves: the cost was status. It cost them a seat at the table of importance in that world’s structures. And what’s more, Barnabas allowed former fishermen now turned preaching apostles to decide how to spend what he gave! He was submissive to those above him in God’s structures of the church. He pursued humility, not high status. Authentic Christian influence flows from you when humility is evident in you; it is an attractive trait—a Christlike quality.

Vision casts before us a desired future. Action delivers it. We will busy ourselves with God’s doings in the world if we catch His dreams for the world from His Word. It will require regular time with Him in His Word and active participation in His activities in the world. Then you can live as Barnabas did with an authentic life of influence.

Respond

What traits are you best known for? How does your relationship with God reflect these traits?

How can investment in God’s Word influence you to catch God’s vision and act on it in practical ways? What does Barnabas’s character inspire in you?

How do you spend your time, money, and energy? What does this tell you about what your heart values?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your Word. Instill in me your vision for influencing the world for your glory. Help me to be humble and generous with my time, money, and energy as I follow the example of Barnabas given to me in your Word. Amen.