Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Being a broker for commercial insurance, I interact with many different business people. The people I like to see operate the most are those who are connectors and networkers. They have a God-given gift to put things together that fit well or to resource the best value in acquiring goods. They can also introduce people who can help each other.

A great connector/networker is critical for operations, because, in the end, the combined power of multiple resources coming together at the right time has an exponentially multiplied impact.

I have seen friends of mine network to refer large businesses to me for income, refer people to me for assistance in non-profit initiatives, or needed resources or funds for critical ministry needs. When I needed additional cooking capacity for my Christmas Day dinners for the police, I got introduced to a man who had a massive smoker that could cook 12 briskets at one time.

What we see here is a connection of sorts. Barnabas was an encourager and part of the way he encouraged was to bring people together who could bless each other. The Greeks in Antioch were typically well-educated and loved philosophy. They reasoned and used logic a lot. So, as Barnabas begins to minister to them, he thinks of Saul, the Pharisee who converted to a Christ-follower. Saul’s logical and reason-driven mind would be a great fit to teach the truths of the Bible to the Antioch Greeks. It would also allow Barnabas to mentor Saul a bit, helping him work off some of the rough edges he might have had, and complimenting his skill sets and personality in ministry.

In order to be a great connector of people, one must be humble. Great connectors build up the other people and transfer trust so they can bless each other. They typically don’t talk about their accomplishments much.

How can I grow in connecting people for God’s Kingdom purposes?

Lord, thank you for Barnabas’ humility and willingness to use his networking ability to connect Saul to the Greeks and allow many more Greeks to come to salvation through Saul’s ministry with him. Help me to set aside my ego and pride and humbly seek to call out the gifts in others to expand your Kingdom!