Faithful Service

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints as you still do. Hebrews 6:10

Behind the Scenes

Sports were a significant part of our family life. During my children's high school years, they participated in volleyball, cross country, track, and basketball. Wanting to support them in a meaningful way, I volunteered on several athletic booster club boards. We raised funds, coordinated overnight trips for team events, ordered uniforms, partnered with school administrators, and encouraged both players and coaches throughout the season.

Each board member brought unique gifts and abilities that contributed to the work before us. While our roles were different, we shared the same purpose and motivation: to support the coaches and create an environment where the team could thrive. Much of what we did happened behind the scenes. It was rarely noticed by those in the stands, yet it played an important role in the success of the athletes on the court and the course.

The same is true in God's kingdom. Some of the most influential people are those whose names are seldom remembered, yet whose faithful service helps others flourish. Barnabas was one such person.

Son of Encouragement

God uniquely gifted Barnabas to encourage, disciple, and strengthen others. Though his ministry often unfolded behind the scenes, his faithful investment in the lives of others had an impact that reached far beyond what he could have imagined.

We first meet Barnabas in Acts 4:36, referred to as Joseph, but who the apostles call Barnabas, which means, “son of encouragement.” He is introduced as a generous member of the community having sold a field and given the money to the apostles (Acts 4:37). He was a trustworthy believer sent to deliver food to those suffering in Jerusalem from a famine (Acts 11:27-30). As the early church began to grow, Barnabas became known for recognizing God's work in others and investing in their spiritual growth. He took Paul under his wing when many believers were still skeptical of his conversion, advocating for him and helping establish his credibility among the apostles (Acts 9:26-27). Later, Barnabas mentored John Mark. Although Paul chose not to take Mark on a subsequent missionary journey because he believed Mark had deserted them earlier, Barnabas saw potential where others didn’t and continued to disciple him (Acts 15: 36-39).

Barnabas understood that God's calling on his life was not to stand in the spotlight but to equip others for the work God had prepared for them. Barnabas modeled his life as Jesus taught us, to serve others as he did (Luke 22:27). He faithfully served behind the scenes using his gifts to encourage, teach and strengthen both Paul and Mark. Barnabas helped shape two men whom God would use in extraordinary ways. Through Paul's letters and Mark's Gospel, countless generations have come to know the truth of Christ.

Barnabas' influence reached even farther. As Paul continued his missionary journeys, Luke became one of his trusted companions. Luke went on to write both the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, preserving the life of Jesus and the story of the early church. Together, the writings of Paul, Luke, and Mark comprise well over half of the New Testament. This is a remarkable legacy that reminds us how one person's faithful investment in others can have an eternal impact.

If God has called you to serve behind the scenes by lifting others up, encouraging them, teaching them, and strengthening them, you are in good company. Like Barnabas, your faithfulness behind the scenes may not always be recognized or applauded, but that does not diminish its value in God's kingdom. You may never fully know how the Lord will use your quiet obedience to shape another person's life or further His purposes. Take heart in knowing that God sees every unseen act of service, and that a life faithfully invested in others can leave an enduring legacy.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

In Christ's love,

Tracey