“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:3-6 NLT)
The most famous “Barney” I know about is the one who hung out with Andy Griffith. You know, the Deputy Sheriff who was only allowed one bullet for his gun, and that bullet was carried in his shirt pocket instead of in the gun! Barney Fife was his name. That’s NOT the Barney I’m talking about.
There are only two types of people in this world. The ones who make you glad when they show up, and the ones who make you glad when they leave. The first type looks for the best in people and circumstances, and the second drains you and seeks the worst. When you see some people coming toward you, you look for a fast get-away or a place to hide because you know you’ll be hearing a lot of criticism and complaining. But, there are others who immediately raise your spirit when they arrive and you are blessed, and encouraged. We love being around those people.
In the New Testament, there was a guy named Joseph. He fell into the category of the type of person that makes you feel better about yourself and about life, than the other type. He was such a great source of encouragement that his buddies gave him a nickname. They started calling him Barnabas, which means, “Son of Encouragement.” Now that’s what I call a great nickname (You and I might have called him Barney). If you read about Barnabas, he was a lover, an encourager, and an all-around good guy. He loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart and wanted to be a blessing to everyone he touched. That’s the kind of person I want to be.
So, if you’re looking for a nickname for me… please, just call me “Barney!”
JC
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