[Part 2 ended with
“…In short, you try to be like Jesus. That’s just one more way you’ve earned the name people use for you now: Barnabas, Son of Encouragement.”
“Well, I do try to, but it’s embarrassing being given a special name like that.”]
“I’m sure that I’d find it embarrassing too, but nobody’s trying to embarrass you.”
“Maybe, but that’s not what we were talking about anyway. Do you think the poor believers in Jerusalem genuinely need help? I’ve been trying to help a few people quietly, but some old friends of mine who don’t follow The Way say that I’m crazy. They say I’m just encouraging these people to be lazy.”
“Are they rich?”
“They’re quite well-off. They’re not in the top rungs of society, but they never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from.”
“Are they lazy themselves?”
“No, not really. They work hard, but their family has been well-off for generations.”
“Are they religious?”
“Oh, yes. Religion is very important to them,” said Barnabas, earnestly – then smiled, sat back a little and added, “but so is their money.”
“Money is important to everyone, isn’t it? But why do they think our poorer brothers are lazy?”
“I think it’s the old conflict between the poor and the rich. You know: the poor blame the rich for all the problems of the world, and the rich criticise the poor for not working hard enough. The rich say,” – Barnabas leaned forward again and put on a smug, self-satisfied voice – “ ‘I know that God blesses those who work hard – look at me!’ ” Justus laughed: not only had Barnabas imitated the voice perfectly, but the expression on his face was just right too. “And the poor
say,” Barnabas continued, adopting a whining, excusing tone, “ ‘But I work harder than you, and look how poor I am!’ ”
Justus laughed again and answered, “Look, Joseph, I’ve never been rich and you’re the first person I’ve known well who’s what I would call ‘rich’. In the past, I’ve found rich people quite stand-offish: not willing to have much to do with poor people. I’ve always assumed it was for two simple reasons: firstly, that they thought they were better than poor people, and secondly, that they didn’t want to get to know anyone who was poor in case they found out that their needs were genuine
and that being poor wasn’t all their own fault.”
“I think there’s a lot of truth in that, but I think there’s also an underlying specific problem with money. Jesus warned us that we can’t worship both God and money, and that it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom. He must have been saying that it’s very hard for rich people to stop their money replacing God in their heart.”
“You don’t seem to have that problem, Barnabas.”
“You can’t see inside my mind, Justus. You can’t see the struggle I have to keep on giving instead of keeping my own little nest-egg intact.”
“I’ve never had enough money to have needed to make up my mind. I have to work hard six days a week to keep my family fed and clothed, make sure the house doesn’t fall apart, and all that. Most weeks I really don’t have anything left over after those expenses.”
“Yet I think there are quite a few believers who are worse off than you are. Should I be helping them, or are my old friends right that they are worse off simply because they are lazy, and that helping them will only make it worse?”
“Maybe you don’t need to worry about deciding who’s right or wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been helping people directly, and I think you’ve done that remarkably well…”
“Marvellous, Justus!” interrupted Barnabas, laughing. “You’re well on your way to earning the name Barnabas for yourself… but keep going.”
“It must be rubbing off. Anyway, if you’re starting to feel unsure, or even finding it hard to keep giving when you think you should, perhaps you can pass the decision on to someone else.”
“What do you mean?”
“You could ask the twelve what they think. After all, most of them were quite poor, so they can probably tell whether the need is genuine or not.”
“Yes, that’s good advice. I’ll do that.”
“Ah, Barnabas, welcome,” said Peter. “We keep hearing stories about your gift of encouraging words, and the good effects they are having. Many believers are having serious problems because they’ve been rejected by their families for choosing to follow The Way, so they need lots of encouragement.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk about, Peter. Is encouragement all that they need, or do they need other sorts of help too?”
“They need all sorts of help, Barnabas. For instance, they need us to help them by teaching them the words of Jesus and how they fit together with the Scriptures, but I don’t think that’s the sort of help you’re asking about. I think that you’re talking about money. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
“One of the worrying things Jesus told us when we were walking with him was that he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. He warned us that his teachings would split up families, and that’s just what’s happening. Young, old and those in between are being caught up in conflict – and conflict not of their own making. I know a young man who has wanted for a long time to follow Jesus. His father told him that if he was baptised into the name of Jesus, he would not be
welcome in his parents’ house. For months he tried to forget about The Way, but his conviction kept growing and in the end, his conscience forced him to get baptised despite his father’s threats. When he told his father, his father threw him out of the house and promised to disinherit him. This young man was learning his father’s trade, and now he has to find work even though he was still developing his skill. Not only so, but his father spread evil rumours about him so
that he lost much of the work he had been able to find. What should he do?”
“I suppose it would be best if a believer who works in his trade could take him under his wing and finish training him.”
“I think you’re right, but until we can organise that, how is he to eat? And where is he to live?”
“I can help with that. And try to find a master to teach him his craft.”
“Good, but this example is just one of many. Old men have been thrown onto the streets by their children because they have chosen to follow Jesus. Young women have been unjustly accused of foul crimes just because they believe Jesus is their saviour in opposition to their parents. Widows have been locked up in their rooms by their children and told that they must curse Jesus if they want to eat. The list of such stories goes on and on.”
“So what do we do?”
“Jesus told us that when we are attacked we are not to resist, and when we are abused we are not to answer back in the same way. So we need to trust that God will provide whatever we need.”
“Thank you, Peter. I think you’ve given me my answer.”
“Oh? I thought we were still getting to it – but if you can already see the answer, may God bless your work.”
Barnabas went away and got busy.
One evening not long afterwards, the twelve were gathered together. As usual, there were many believers in the upper chamber where they met, and the disciples were recounting the teachings of Jesus to all who were eager to listen.
The evening wore on and the room slowly emptied as believers left to return to their homes for the night. Barnabas lingered until at last he had what he had waited for: he was alone with the twelve.
“Another good evening of remembering Christ’s words together,” said Peter. Then he turned to Barnabas and said, “Thanks for your occasional input when we’re talking about how to apply Jesus’ words in our lives. You’re blessed with the ability to explain clearly what’s needed, but in a way that also helps everyone understand how delightful righteousness is.”
“Thank you, Peter,” said Barnabas. “It is God’s work, not mine. But there is also another work of God that I wanted to tell you twelve about.”
“Hey, everyone, Barnabas has some news for us.”
“I wasn’t trying to make a grand presentation,” smiled Barnabas, “but several days ago Peter told me about some of the troubles besetting the believers, and reminded me that we need to trust God to provide. I’d already been wondering if I should sell some land that I had, so when Peter helped me to remember that God often provides through people, I decided it was the right thing to do. This is the money I received from the sale. I am giving it to you because I believe that many
of our brothers need help and that you can give them that help as necessary.”
Silence fell as the twelve looked at each other, smiles spreading across their faces.
“Barnabas!” said Peter, always the first to speak. “That is wonderful. I’m sure Jesus is pleased that you are giving such help to those who need it. God can do his work through you.”
“Are you sure that you won’t need it yourself?” asked Simon. “After all, you can’t get it back.”
“Of course he’s sure,” said Matthew. “He’s used to dealing with money, so he knows what he’s doing. And do you remember what Jesus warned us about being attached to money? I was a tax collector; I understood what Jesus meant more clearly than most of you did. Can’t you see that Barnabas is pleased to do this? It’s a good decision, too.” He nodded at Barnabas in approval.
“Matthew is right,” said Barnabas, smiling broadly. “Money that I’ve given away is money I can’t worship – as Jesus described it.”
