Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26)
Revival had broken out in Antioch. The church of Jerusalem responded by sending Barnabas to encourage them in the Lord. Things were going well but all of a sudden Barnabas got an idea to bring Paul down from Tarsus to help him in this discipleship ministry. You see, after Paul’s conversion and initial ministry he basically went into the shadows for quite some time. There in his hometown of Tarsus he was quietly working out his faith and waiting for the doors to open for that next step in his life and ministry. And then Barnabas comes knocking on his door. Paul went with him and this set the stage for the calling that Paul would receive to be that great missionary of the Christian church. But it all started with one man who believed in Paul and the calling he had on his life. You could say Barnabas was a door opener.
As I look back on my life I see that there were certain key people God used in my life to open up important doors. These individuals believed in me and the calling that God had upon my life. They saw potential and did what they could to provide opportunities. I was young and inexperienced but they took a chance on me. I was green and untested but somehow they perceived a diamond in the rough. It was as if God unveiled their eyes to the possibilities that lay latent within. They took that risk and I knew it was God displaying His favor by sending these special door openers that I will never forget. Without them I would not be what I am or where I am at today.
And now it’s time to pay back! Now it’s time for me to be a door opener. Now it’s my turn to do what I can to make it happen for others. God has been good to me and the opportunity is mine now to help others along the way to where God is taking them. If I can just open up one door then it might be the very thing to be the catalyst for future change and effectiveness in God’s kingdom. I know that only God can open up the doors (Rev 3:7-8) but I can be part of that process by being the one to help turn the handle.
How about you? Are you a door opener? Freely you have received, freely give. (Mat 10:8)
Louie