Passage of the Day:
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. 23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers, Acts 9:22-31.
Reflection:
If you knew me in high school, you wouldn’t recognize me anymore. Not because I’ve physically aged the past 40 years, but I’ve undergone a complete transformation. In my teenage years, I was cocky, self-centered and extremely sarcastic, saying whatever came to my mind. Today, I’m humble, mellow and try to be a positive each day. As first century citizens began to see a kinder, gentler Saul, the man who gave the order to execute Stephen, people began to whisper, “is this real or some kind of act?” While all other spiritual leaders turned their backs on Saul, Barnabas was the only one who was willing to give him a second chance. In the middle of the book of Acts, Saul who changes his name to Paul actually out grows Barnabas spiritually. This is the power of giving someone a second chance.
Prayerful Action:
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off, Acts 13:2-3.
Developing the Spiritual Guts to Press On:
My high school swim coach, Ken Horne, possessed a similar gift to that of Barnabas. Ken was able to see something in me that I never noticed, taking time out of his busy schedule to invest in me. Luke suggests that Barnabas saw something in Saul and spent time discipling him prior to becoming missionary partners. If Barnabas didn’t stand up for Saul in front of the disciples, Luke would have highlighted another first century spiritual leader. However, whenever anyone receives a second chance, great things often follow.
Song of the Day:
Final Thought:
Today’s song comes from a band from Columbus, Ohio. While the lyrics seem strange on the surface, the message is about taking Jesus whenever you go and leaving the love of Jesus with all the people that you encounter. May today’s devotion inspire you to give other people in your life a second chance so that this generosity may result in a modern-day apostle Paul.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 