The Bible declares in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” One of the most striking characters in the Bible is Barnabas. His story is not told a lot about because he is one of those hidden characters, but he had great impact and influence on the gospel. The first time we see the man Barnabas is when he sells his own property and land and gives the proceeds for the sake of the gospel. Acts 4:36–37 tells us that Joseph, whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas, sold a piece of land, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. Imagine such a man who was so generous and who proved to love the Church so much that he was willing to surrender what he owned to the work of God. He was not simply a man who preached about the gospel; he was a man who was willing to give his possessions for the advancement of the gospel. I believe Barnabas is one of the first men recorded in the book of Acts to have made such a significant personal sacrifice by selling his property and bringing the proceeds to the apostles. His giving was essential to the needs of the early Church, and it reveals the heart of a man who understood that the work of God required sacrifice. That's the first time that we encounter Barnabas.
The second time that we really get to encounter Barnabas is when he introduces Paul to the Christian community of his time. You need to understand that Paul was a persecutor of the Church. So, because he was a persecutor, he was not accepted, and any person who looked at him would be skeptical about Paul. They would not trust Paul because they assumed that his intention was to ensnare them and later persecute and kill them. So Barnabas used his influence to speak for Paul and to make room for Paul to be accepted in the Christian community. One might wonder, okay, what is the advantage of this? For Paul to be able to teach and move from city to city and be accepted, he first had to be accepted by the Christian community. So Barnabas, in so many ways, was the key and the catalyst to helping Paul's ministry gain acceptance among those in his generation. When I look at Barnabas, I see him as a kingmaker, someone who carries a voice but uses that voice to allow others to have access to places where their voices can also be heard.
Now, Barnabas does not just stand for Paul. He also stands for a man called John Mark, who is traditionally believed to have written the Gospel of Mark. At one time, the reason Paul and Barnabas stopped working together was that Paul did not want to continue the journey with John Mark. Barnabas stood so strongly for John Mark that he had a rift and a separation with Paul, and he took John Mark with him. Why? Because Barnabas was willing to stand for John Mark and give him another opportunity. Imagine such a man who was able to see the potential in another man and say, “No matter what it will cost me, I will make sure that this man becomes who God has called him to be, or enters the space that God has ordained for him.”
Do we have such people in our generation? Do we have people who are willing to stand for others, even when it costs them something? Paul became more prominent than Barnabas when we look at the New Testament and the impact that Paul had. But for Paul to gain acceptance among the Christian community, he needed a Barnabas who was willing to speak for him. John Mark also became an important figure in the history of the Church, but when we look at Barnabas, we see a man who had an impact and influence on their lives. The gift that Barnabas gave was a significant demonstration of generosity. We do not know precisely how much of the money from the sale of his land was used for the needs of the apostles and the early believers, but his giving is recorded as part of the life of a Church that was learning to share its resources so that nobody among them would be left in need. Barnabas shows us that a person can make an enormous contribution to the gospel not only through preaching, but also through giving.
Barnabas is one of those characters we can describe as a kingmaker, and this allows me to understand something about spiritual fatherhood. The Bible says in 1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Barnabas demonstrated this kind of sacrificial love when he gave his resources for the sake of the gospel, when he stood for Paul, and when he stood for John Mark. He was willing to lay down his possessions, use his influence, and put his relationships at risk to help others move forward. This is what makes Barnabas such a powerful example of a spiritual father. A father is not simply someone who wants to be recognised as a father; a father is someone who is willing to sacrifice for the growth and development of others.
The challenge with the character of Barnabas is that his story is not told as extensively as Paul's. There are no songs about Barnabas in the way that many celebrate Paul, and his name does not receive the same attention, yet he had an essential and important ministry. Are you still able to serve even if they do not tell your story, even if they do not sing songs about you, and even if you will not be the main character? Are you able to serve? Are you able to take a supporting role that allows others to shine brighter than you, or will you be so intimidated that you become the first one to fight against them?
We are in a generation that no longer sees the value of pushing for others. We see the value of pushing for ourselves. We are in a generation that does not always think that if Apostle Humphrey grows, I am growing too. We do not always think that if Prophet so-and-so grows, the kingdom is advancing. Instead, we are often concerned about bringing out our own visions. My vision has to be visible. My ministry has to be visible. My voice has to be visible. But are you able to use your voice for others, like the kingmaker Barnabas? Can you stand for someone who has not yet been accepted? Can you recommend someone whose potential others have not yet recognised? Can you give someone an opportunity without feeling threatened by the possibility that they may eventually become more prominent than you?
Barnabas's story is unique because it shows us the power of servitude. The Bible declares in Matthew 23:11, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Could it be that one of the greatest demonstrations of apostolic leadership is found in the life of Barnabas? His apostolic contribution is not always discussed in the same way as Paul's, yet his willingness to give, encourage, introduce, and stand for others had a lasting impact on the early Church. The greatest among us shall serve. The greatest among us shall be a servant. Are you able to allow your voice to make room for others to become greater than you? Are you able to give your resources, your influence, and your time so that someone else can enter the space God has ordained for them?
The kingdom of God needs people who are willing to give, people who are willing to stand for others, and people who are willing to work behind the scenes without demanding recognition. Barnabas reminds us that generosity is not only about giving money; it is also about giving people access, giving them another opportunity, and giving them the confidence to continue pursuing the assignment God has placed upon their lives. He sold his property and brought the proceeds to the apostles. He used his voice to make room for Paul. He stood for John Mark when others were unwilling to continue with him. These were different expressions of the same heart: a heart that was willing to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel and the advancement of others.
The question we must ask ourselves is whether we are willing to become such people in our generation. Are we willing to give what we have for the sake of the gospel? Are we willing to use our influence to help others become who God has called them to be? Are we willing to stand behind people who may one day become more prominent than us? Or are we only interested in building our own names, our own ministries, and our own platforms? Barnabas teaches us that the kingdom is not built by people who are all fighting to occupy the same position. It is built by people who understand their assignments and are willing to help others fulfil theirs.
You do not have to be the main character to make a significant contribution to the kingdom of God. You do not have to be the person whose name is mentioned everywhere to have influenced a generation. Sometimes, your assignment is to give, sometimes it is to speak, and sometimes it is to stand for someone who needs another opportunity. Barnabas may not occupy the same level of prominence in the biblical narrative as Paul, but his life reminds us that the person who helps another person rise is also part of the story of that person's rise.
The kingmaker does not need to sit on the throne to have influenced the kingdom.
