Our namesake for this blog is Barnabas Man. If you are like me, I have been asking myself, “Why Barnabas?” I knew a bit about Barnabas but my curiosity drove me back to look at this guy in detail. Last Friday (Nov. 30th), I did my first blog on him. In Acts 4:36, we discovered that he was called Barnabas, “Son of encouragement.” Of all the thousands of new Christians hanging out in Jerusalem, this guy was highlighted because he was us such an encourager. What an edifying word, encouragement!
One thing that I did not mention last week noted in Acts 4:36 was Barnabas was a nickname. His real name was Joseph, a Levite from Cypress. As a Levite, he was part of the Hebrew family that supported Priests. For example, they assisted priests in performing sacred music.
Barnabas was from Cypress which is the largest island in the Mediterranean. It is an island extremely fertile, abounding in wine, honey, oil, wool, etc. In Acts 4:37, it states that Barnabas “sold a field he owned and brought the money and put (laid) it at the apostles’ feet.” Others shared what they had to be used for the greater good of the community, why was Barnabas’ act so different? The field he sold most likely was in Cypress meaning this would be prime, expensive soil. Notice what he did. He sold a field and laid the money at the apostles’ feet. This was a field that was worth a lot of money. Yet, he did not walk in and start stipulating how the apostles were going to spend “his” money putting them on notice that he would be monitoring their financially responsible capabilities and personally holding them accountable. In his mind, it was no longer his. He laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was God’s money.
Do we have a giving heart like Joseph? Do we realize that out of the first fruits there is money that is not mine? And, we “lay” it down before God giving to His ministry. By the way, God wants each of us have a giving nature evidenced not only financially, but time focused on others. Do we have a giving lifestyle? Giving is a big part of a heart that blesses God.
A miser is a person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible. Oh, by the way, it is the root word for “miserable.” Enough said.
I pray each of us will become a Barnabas Man. Blessings will come!
Barnabas Man 