Daily Reflections, Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Today's Scripture: Acts 9:26-31

For the church leaders at Jerusalem, the wounds of loss were still fresh. Friends and loved ones were being persecuted daily at the hands of the government.

So when Saul, a sworn enemy, walked in the room, it was like put ting fresh salt on those wounds. He had born the coats of those who’d stoned Stephen and he probably was responsible for bringing their loved ones to a certain death.

But where the church leaders saw Saul, the enemy, Barnabas saw Paul— a man wholly transformed by Christ. He saw a gifted servant who would one day declare himself "the chief of sinners."

Most importantly, Barnabas looked at Saul—turned Paul and saw what God could do.

Encouragers don’t see the prickly flaws of fellow believers. They don’t see the sins of their past. They refuse to believe the gossip. Encouragers see potential. They see hope.

They have a big faith in a big God who wants to do great things in the lives of sinners.

What about you? Are you a Barnabas or are you limited by your preconceived notions of your fellow Christian? If so, you’re not only selling your friends short—you’re selling God short. Because God delights in the radical transformation of sinners.

Today's Quote:  Encouragement is more than a pat on the back—it’s belief in a person when no one else does. It is being willing to see in someone the potential of what God can do.