21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 News about them reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts..."

Acts 11:20-23

Inflating an Inner-Tube or Building a Home?

Acts 11:20-24 highlights another instance in which Barnabas: The Son of Encouragement, lives up to his name.In this passage, we learn that Barnabas was sent to the Church at Antioch as the grace of God was impacting that community. Verse 23 tells us that Barnabas encouraged all of them to:

"REMAIN TRUE TO THE LORD WITH DEVOTED HEARTS"

It is worth noting that Barnabas does not encourage the believers for encouragement's sake. The purpose of the encouragement is not to make the church at Antioch "feel better" or to "realize their best life now." Barnabas is not blowing hot air to the church at Antioch. Instead, his encouragement has an aim; it has a target. The target: REMAIN TRUE TO THE LORD WITH DEVOTED HEARTS. Other translators have said it this way:

"MAKE THE PURPOSE OF YOUR HEART TO CLEAVE UNTO THE LORD"

Think about it this way: does your encouragement blow up an inner tube, or does your encouragement build a home? An inner tube is inflated with a lot of hot air. It requires a lot of effort and is easily deflated. One poke, one tear, or someone leaving the cap not properly secured deflates that inner tube in a matter of seconds. A home is built with a lot of concrete materials. Bricks, mortar, wood build a house for someone to live in. The winds blow, the rain pours and those materials are unfazed. It takes a lot to take down a properly built home.Similarly, is your encouragement to others "hot air" or full of "concrete materials"? Are you inflating an inner tube, or are you building a home?Barnabas encouraged the Church at Antioch with concrete materials with the purpose of building them up in the Lord. He had a purpose to his encouragement that served a bigger purpose!Today, may we be encouraged to build people up with a Godly purpose. May we also receive these words from Barnabas to the church at Antioch: "remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts."