Encouragers
There’s an old and rather horrible story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the railing of the back porch. He then went down, stood on the lawn below, and encouraged the boy to jump into his arms. "I'll catch you," the father said confidently. After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap. When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground. He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears.
"Let that be a lesson," he said sternly. "Don't ever trust anyone."
It’s a sad lesson to learn but one that many people actually believe today – trust is in short supply – the attitude of many people towards politicians at the moment seems to sum this up – without doubt, as there are in all occupations, there are politicians who have been dishonest, but most deserve to be trusted…
And trusting is something that we all need to do at times – for God has created a world where, as well as being dependant on him, we are also dependant on other people so often. I’m not very good at car mechanics, so I trust the garage if something is wrong; I’m an extremely bad gardener and never grow anything to eat, so I rely on farmers (and supermarkets and take aways!) to make sure that I have things to eat.
In other ways we also depend on people to love and to be loved – we thought recently about the need to have a purpose in life, and that purpose so often involves another person – relationships are a key part of our existence.
But we can imagine the scene back in Jerusalem as the early followers are met Saul (Acts 9:26-31) – what they know about Saul is that he has chased followers of Jesus passionately – he has had them imprisoned, tortured and even killed… now he is there amongst them telling them that he has been converted… who can blame them for having a little doubt ?
But into this situation stepped Barnabas, known now as the Patron Saint of encouragers… he trusted that Paul’s conversion was genuine, partly because he believed Paul himself, but I think even more because he knew of the power of God to transform – to transform even the darkest of situations and lives into light.
Barnabas chose to trust Paul and he encouraged others to do the same. He gave Paul an introduction into a group that would support him and encourage him, and allow him to do God’s work more effectively.
I wonder what would have happened had there been no Barnabas though ? I can answer that a little bit by saying that I’m pretty sure God would have provided someone or some way of allowing Paul to work, but what if there hadn’t been…
Would Saul have given up on his new found faith, would he have become so discouraged that doubts would have set in, would he have perhaps thought that he had just been suffering some temporary insanity and returned to persecuting Christians, perhaps even more passionately than before…
Without an encourager – without someone prepared to give him a chance, Paul could have been lost to the Church…
I have quoted before the story of Nicky Cruz – the gang leader in New York in the late 1950’s, whose life was transformed following his conversion. Nicky gave up a life of violence, crime and hate, went to Bible School and has preached ever since on the new life God had given him… but there was another person in the story as well.
A man called Israel Narvaez was also converted along with Nicky Cruz, but after a terrible misunderstanding, largely over a meeting place where he was supposed to be picked up, he became discouraged with Christianity, went back to the gang, and was convicted for his part in a murder. This story fortunately has a better ending because when he was released from prison he eventually dedicated his life to Christ again, and has, ever since, been a Church Pastor…
But it shows the dangers of not encouraging people, of not giving them every chance to be the people that God wants them to be.
And today that role as encouragers falls to every one of us – that role that means that we can’t judge people by earthly standards, but by what God can do for them… that role that means we cannot afford to let others do the encouraging while we stand at a safe distance and watch…
Part of our discipleship as Christians is to be people like Barnabas – people who can help others to be the people God wants them to be…
Barnabas never became as famous as Paul, and encouragers often won’t… How many of the footballers at the World Cup can point back to someone who helped them in their youth to become great players – we will never know those people, only the product of their work…
The role of encouragers is incredibly important – but it’s a difficult role – it involves trusting, it involves the risk of painful rejection even, it involves dedication and it involves being non-judgemental…
It’s a tough role but it’s a role we’re all called to do – because it’s a role that points people to God – to a God who transforms, to a God who guarantees new life, to a God who loves the world and everyone it.
Whether we are called to stand in the background or in full public view for God doesn’t matter, because we are all called to one thing and that is to point people to him, so that his name may be glorified, his kingdom become larger, and the fellowship we enjoy with him and with others will become greater. AMEN
"Let that be a lesson," he said sternly. "Don't ever trust anyone."
It’s a sad lesson to learn but one that many people actually believe today – trust is in short supply – the attitude of many people towards politicians at the moment seems to sum this up – without doubt, as there are in all occupations, there are politicians who have been dishonest, but most deserve to be trusted…
And trusting is something that we all need to do at times – for God has created a world where, as well as being dependant on him, we are also dependant on other people so often. I’m not very good at car mechanics, so I trust the garage if something is wrong; I’m an extremely bad gardener and never grow anything to eat, so I rely on farmers (and supermarkets and take aways!) to make sure that I have things to eat.
In other ways we also depend on people to love and to be loved – we thought recently about the need to have a purpose in life, and that purpose so often involves another person – relationships are a key part of our existence.
But we can imagine the scene back in Jerusalem as the early followers are met Saul (Acts 9:26-31) – what they know about Saul is that he has chased followers of Jesus passionately – he has had them imprisoned, tortured and even killed… now he is there amongst them telling them that he has been converted… who can blame them for having a little doubt ?
But into this situation stepped Barnabas, known now as the Patron Saint of encouragers… he trusted that Paul’s conversion was genuine, partly because he believed Paul himself, but I think even more because he knew of the power of God to transform – to transform even the darkest of situations and lives into light.
Barnabas chose to trust Paul and he encouraged others to do the same. He gave Paul an introduction into a group that would support him and encourage him, and allow him to do God’s work more effectively.
I wonder what would have happened had there been no Barnabas though ? I can answer that a little bit by saying that I’m pretty sure God would have provided someone or some way of allowing Paul to work, but what if there hadn’t been…
Would Saul have given up on his new found faith, would he have become so discouraged that doubts would have set in, would he have perhaps thought that he had just been suffering some temporary insanity and returned to persecuting Christians, perhaps even more passionately than before…
Without an encourager – without someone prepared to give him a chance, Paul could have been lost to the Church…
I have quoted before the story of Nicky Cruz – the gang leader in New York in the late 1950’s, whose life was transformed following his conversion. Nicky gave up a life of violence, crime and hate, went to Bible School and has preached ever since on the new life God had given him… but there was another person in the story as well.
A man called Israel Narvaez was also converted along with Nicky Cruz, but after a terrible misunderstanding, largely over a meeting place where he was supposed to be picked up, he became discouraged with Christianity, went back to the gang, and was convicted for his part in a murder. This story fortunately has a better ending because when he was released from prison he eventually dedicated his life to Christ again, and has, ever since, been a Church Pastor…
But it shows the dangers of not encouraging people, of not giving them every chance to be the people that God wants them to be.
And today that role as encouragers falls to every one of us – that role that means that we can’t judge people by earthly standards, but by what God can do for them… that role that means we cannot afford to let others do the encouraging while we stand at a safe distance and watch…
Part of our discipleship as Christians is to be people like Barnabas – people who can help others to be the people God wants them to be…
Barnabas never became as famous as Paul, and encouragers often won’t… How many of the footballers at the World Cup can point back to someone who helped them in their youth to become great players – we will never know those people, only the product of their work…
The role of encouragers is incredibly important – but it’s a difficult role – it involves trusting, it involves the risk of painful rejection even, it involves dedication and it involves being non-judgemental…
It’s a tough role but it’s a role we’re all called to do – because it’s a role that points people to God – to a God who transforms, to a God who guarantees new life, to a God who loves the world and everyone it.
Whether we are called to stand in the background or in full public view for God doesn’t matter, because we are all called to one thing and that is to point people to him, so that his name may be glorified, his kingdom become larger, and the fellowship we enjoy with him and with others will become greater. AMEN
Comments