When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. Acts 9:23-27.
Saul (later became Paul) had a bad reputation among the early disciples of Jesus. He was known of his hatred of Christians and his campaigns to find them, having them either executed or put in prison. In one of his campaigns to find and arrest Christians, he went to the city of Damascus, 135 miles northeast of Jerusalem, where he had a life-changing experience that led him to become a follower of Jesus himself.
Many people in Damascus listened to the converted Saul and actually believed his testimony about Jesus. However, some of the Jews who lived in Damascus plotted to kill Saul, so he had to flee to Jerusalem. Although the Christians there were afraid of him.
Even though Saul had become a disciple of Jesus and asked people to believe him as a sincere and truthful person, they were understandingly skeptical, Luke 9:26. You can see why! But Barnabas, one of the Jerusalem believers, stood up for Saul, possibly at great personal risk.
This is what peacemakers do. Their major goal in life is to remove barriers between people. Barnabas spoke up for Saul in front of the apostles, describing Saul’s conversion experience, as well his confidant testimony for Jesus.
When Saul’s life was in danger, believers in Jerusalem accompanied Saul to Caesarea on the coast to send him to his home in Tarsus. Barnabas was the start of the good will toward Paul. By himself, Saul was the dreaded killer of Christians, but with Barnabas, the peacemaker, he was a brother and disciple of Jesus.
Prayer:
Father, we want to be like Barnabas. Never afraid to stick our necks out to create peace. Breaking down walls of dissent and fear. Fill us with your spirit so that we will resist the temptation to fear and mistrust. Amen.