Hard Sell
What does it take to go all in?
There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means son of encouragement). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet. - Acts 4:36-37
In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke gives us a glimpse into the world of the early church, when the followers of The Way shared everything and held nothing back.
In this reading, we learn of Joseph, whom they called Barnabas. Not only did he give up his property to join them, but he will end up playing an important role in holding the group together, first when they are reluctant to have Paul (formerly Saul the persecutor) join them, and then later when Paul wanted to leave Mark, Barnabas' cousin, behind.
Convincing people to be open to change is a hard sell. It is no wonder they called him Son of Encouragement, since it was his voice that provided the argument for second chances, encouraging all to be accepting and forgiving.
This guy, Barnabas, must have been great at selling, for eventually Paul winds up referring to Mark, the one he rejected, as a trusted friend and assistant in his ministry. But his actions in defense of others were also a good example of sharing one's vision and confidence with those who might have been rejected, encouraging them to move on, to continue the fight.
I like that. It is how I would like others to think of me.
If we do nothing else of any lasting value on this earth, in this life, we should be an encouragement to someone else.
That's hard for some to do, especially those who are focused on themselves. We hear often of the rich who must give up their riches in order to be truly blessed, and I think that applies to all our riches, all our gifts, not just to property and money.
Barnabas gave away more than property when he gave others a chance to be who or what God intended.
Perhaps I can do the same.
More to come...
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