Acts 4:32-37 (NIV)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
As we enter into the month of thanksgiving, let us remember and be thankful for those who have blessed us in our lives. Those who have touched and encouraged us. Those who are known as the unsung heroes. Those who do things without being asked.
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One example of an unsung hero is Roy O. Martin, Sr. In 1923, an ambitious 33-year-old Indiana native named Roy Otis Martin Sr. moved to Alexandria, Louisiana. He purchased a rundown sawmill known as the Creston Sawmill for $32,000. This was a transaction that included the mill machinery but not a single acre of land. Sounds crazy, right? Well, maybe not.
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Through immense grit and a focus on sustainable forestry, Martin Sr. built the Roy O. Martin Lumber Company from the ground up. Not an easy task. But who said building something from the ground up was easy? Over three generations of family leadership, the enterprise expanded exponentially. Today, it stands as one of the largest private timber and landowners in the American South, managing over 550,000 acres of sustainable timberland and operating major manufacturing facilities across Louisiana and Texas.
When Roy O. Martin Sr. founded the sawmill in 1923, he committed himself to being a faithful steward. In those early, lean decades—long before the sawmill became the massive timber empire it is today—Roy Sr. was a foundational pillar of Calvary Baptist Church. During those early building and expansion phases of the church, Roy Sr. stepped up during financial crunches, ensuring that budget shortfalls did not halt the church’s local ministries or structural growth. He quietly provided the critical financial backing needed to fill the deficit. He leveraged his lumber network to supply construction materials directly from his mills, offsetting skyrocketing project costs and bridging the budget gap with concrete resources when the church could no longer afford external contractors. The Martin family has followed in Roy Sr.’s footsteps with quiet generosity. This is what we call unsung heroes.
Another good example is Barnabas. Barnabas is considered one of the ultimate unsung heroes of the New Testament because he quietly operated as a “history shifter” behind the scenes. While the Apostle Paul authored much of the New Testament and dominated early church history, Paul likely would have never had a ministry without Barnabas.
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Originally named Joseph, the apostles nicknamed him Barnabas, which translates to “Son of Encouragement”. He consistently sacrificed his own money, reputation, and ego to elevate others, working as a master peacekeeper and networker.
Barnabas acted as the early church’s greatest unsung hero by sponsoring the First Church Ministries. We first meet Barnabas in the Book of Acts. He’s a wealthy Levite from the island of Cyprus. Suddenly, without warning, he sold his own land and then laid all the proceeds at the apostles’ feet so they could use the money to feed and support the poor during the early Christian community. It saved the early church.
He then rescued the reputation of Paul. If you remember, before Paul converted to Christianity, he was an awful man who took delight in murdering and arresting Christians. The disciples in Jerusalem were terrified of him. They knew him as a violent persecutor. Because of Paul’s past, the church refused to meet with him. They thought he might even be a double agent, but Barnabas took a massive calculated risk by helping Paul and vouching for him. Since Barnabas was such a highly trusted member of the church, they finally accepted Paul.
Barnabas also stepped aside so others could lead. Under his leadership, massive crowds came to the faith. He could have hoarded the spotlight, but he didn’t. He traveled to Tarsus specifically to recruit Paul to share in the leadership workload. He took second billing so Paul’s superior theological gifts could flourish.
John Mark was a young assistant to Barnabas and Paul. However, John Mark panicked and wanted to abandon the mission and go home when they traveled through an incredibly dangerous and grueling area. Paul didn’t like it and didn’t want to keep John Mark around, but Barnabas disagreed and wanted to mentor him. Consequently, Paul and Barnabas parted ways, and Barnabas took John Mark under his wing.
Due to Barnabas’ mentoring, John Mark was spiritually restored and grew up to write the Gospel of Mark. To Paul’s credit, he wrote a letter from prison admitting, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:11).
Without Barnabas acting as a shadow mentor, the world may have never had the ministry of Paul or the Gospel of Mark. I’d call that an unsung hero.
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Our saints leave behind a message that continues to bless and encourage us. Who are your saints? Who are your mentors and encouragers? Will others remember you as an unsung hero?
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Be a part of something larger than yourself.
Life is a gift we receive.
Here’s my mentor and my unsung hero. Miss Onice Fields. My high school Senior English Lit teacher. She will forever be the one who encouraged me the most.
On Thanksgiving Day 2026
“Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don’t unravel.”
From my sweet great-grandson,
Bennett Stone Larkin
Wishing you all a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!
And that’s what I learned in Church… see ya next time!
