Everyone Needs A Barnabas

Everybody Needs a Barnabas
or…
Why Professional Organizers Exist

In his recent message “Cultures that Cultivate World Changers Part 2” Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding, CA talks about the impact, the POWER, of having someone believe in you. One way he expressed it is…

“Something happens when somebody thinks you’re beautiful.”

Kris gave a powerful example from the book of Acts in the New Testament of the Bible. There was a man named Saul of Tarsus, a devout Jew who was vehemently opposed to the message of Jesus Christ. But something happened one day when Saul was traveling on the road to Damascus.

He was struck blind and audibly heard the voice of Jesus Christ asking Saul why he was persecuting him. As a result of that encounter, Saul was ultimately converted to Christianity, took on a new name (Paul), and became one of the central figures of the Christian faith.

But it wasn’t all wine and roses for Paul, the former Saul. He had a reputation that proceeded him, a reputation of being a hater. When he returned to Jerusalem he was not welcomed into the Christian community with open arms. Quite the opposite in fact…

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Acts 9: 26-27 NKJV

Kris Vallotton points out that the key words here are “But “Barnabas…”.

Though nobody else in Jerusalem believed in Paul, Barnabas believed in him! He vouched for him. He stood in the gap for him.

When everyone was viewing Paul through the lens of his past life and ways, Barnabas said, no…I see something different in this guy. Barnabas saw the butterfly inside Paul when the rest of the world was still seeing him as an ugly old caterpillar.

Paul went on to evangelize throughout many parts of the world and to author 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament. But Paul would not be Paul without Barnabas. Barnabas spoke life into Paul’s dark past and saw through his failings to his not-yet-revealed greatness.

And that’s what I believe is the role of a professional organizer. It is not uncommon for us to go into the homes and businesses of our clients and to see them in a world of hurt. They are discouraged, depressed, overwhelmed, and confused. Sometimes the feelings are compounded because their disorganization upsets their family members and/or coworkers and they are judged or criticized for it.

What we have found, however, is that negativity or criticism is a de-motivator. It doesn’t matter if the criticism comes from within (self-criticism) or without (criticism from others). It’s always a de-motivator. Our goal is to come in and speak life and positivity in the situation, regardless of the details or circumstances. We often begin by finding that one thing that actually IS working about their situation, point it out, and build from there.

Every single person on this earth has gold in them. Every single one. Our ultimate mission is to call out the gold in our clients just as Barnabas called out the gold in Paul.

And oh what a precious and fulfilling mission that is. 🙂