There was a man in the New Testament named Joses, but we don’t know him by that name. In fact, the apostles did not even know him by his own name, for they had given him a new name, which better reflected to them who he was.
Sometimes we give people names and cannot remember (or maybe never knew) their actual name. I went to school with a guy named Craig, except for the first several months that I was there, I didn’t know his name was Craig. Everyone affectionately (as opposed to rudely) called him “Chunky.” And, it sort of fit. Sometimes the names we give are intended to ridicule. Other nicknames are created out of close friendships.
The name that the apostles gave to Joses was “Barnabas.” Why “Barnabas”? It means “Son of Encouragement.” When the apostles looked at Joses, all they could see was an Encourager. So, that’s what they called him. On a spiritual level, if someone was going to give you a new name, would they ever think about calling you “Encourager”?
We see example after example in the New Testament of brethren taking time to encourage one another (Acts 11:23; 16:40; 20:2; Col. 2:1-2; 4:8; 1 Thess. 3:2; etc.). The New American Standard also translates the word “encourage” in these instructional passages: “Encourage one another” (1 Thess. 5:11); “Encourage the fainthearted” (1 Thess. 5:14); “Encourage one another day after day” (Heb. 3:13). It is obvious that we have a responsibility to find ways to encourage each other.
Catherine E. Rollins wrote a book (published in 1992) entitled, 52 Simple Ways to Encourage Others. I thought just listing some of the chapter titles of “Things to Do” might give us some ideas. Meaningful Touch. Provide a Place of Rest and Nurture. Send an Unexpected Uplifting Message. Send Flowers or a Gift of Beauty. Be Present in the Crisis. Invite the Person to Come Along. Stop Doing the Harmful Thing. Lend a Listening Ear. Admit You Were Wrong. “Sit a Spell.” Seek Out the Lonely. The Letter of Appreciation. The Unexpected Letter of Commendation. Provide a Helping Hand. Forgive the Debt. Let Go. Accentuate the Positive. Be Loyal. Commit to Friendship. Don’t Give Up on the Person.
Brethren, we need to be seeking opportunities to encourage one another all the time (not just when someone is obviously hurting). What can you do today to encourage just one person? What can you do next week to encourage two people? Maybe they didn’t know his name, but they knew who he was—the Encourager! So, who are you?