There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 4:34-37 ESV
Reading about this earliest church’s incredible generosity, I’m reminded of the great revival under King Hezekiah. When he asked for donations to fund the restoration of temple worship, the people were so enthusiastic that the Bible says they “laid them in heaps” (2 Chron. 31:6). There are times when God moves on His people to be outlandishly generous. It’s a blessed thing and always produces glory to God. In 2 Chronicles 31:8 it says when Hezekiah and the other leaders saw the heaps, “they blessed the LORD and his people Israel.”
When I’d only been a Christian a short time, I was in a service that impacted my life. The pastor mentioned a family that had experienced some tragedy and was in dire need of financial help. He invited the parents up to the front of the church, prayed for the family, and then invited anyone who wanted to help to come forward with a gift. He started the ball rolling by pulling a bill from his wallet and handing it to them. People responded in such numbers that the ushers had to direct traffic, and the offerings were more than they could hold. Money was literally piled up in front of them in a heap. As a young believer, this outpouring of love and generosity caused me to see the goodness of God in a new light. Generosity is a sign of the goodness of God.
Here in the Book of Acts, there was a young man who stood out from the crowd. He was one of the guys who sold property and brought the proceeds to the apostles for distribution, but there was more to him than that. His name was Joseph, but the apostles gave him a new name: Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” It seems that he lived among them in a way that they gave him a name that expressed the impact he had on them and the church. Generosity was just one aspect of his influence on others. He was an encouragement.
For our purposes today, please take a few minutes to answer this question: “If the people in my church were to give me a new name based on the impact I have on the lives of others and on the atmosphere in the church, what would my new name be?” If you don’t like the answer, then today is the day to start changing your name through changing your actions and attitudes. Have a great Sunday!
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