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Have you noticed that many sayings describing a relationship use terms of physical location? For instance, when you hear the saying “in your face,” you think of confrontation and anger right? The sayings “behind my back” and “finger pointing” also describe negative relationships, don’t they?
So, what are the sayings that picture someone encouraging another? “In my corner” might be one. It comes from the boxing world. It pictures someone who cheers for you, tends your wounds and offers advice for the battle. A similar saying is someone who “goes to bat” for you. But even better is the phrase “at my side.”
This is the phrase that describes Barnabas smoothing the way for Saul. Saul had persecuted Christians. Then, he became a Christian and people were reluctant to trust him. See what Barnabas did in Acts 9:26-27, “When he [i.e. Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
If you want to be an encourager like Barnabas, stand at the side of others and go to bat for them. Look around you. Is there someone who needs you to stand at their side today?
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.