How Deep is Your Love (1Thes 5:11)
Six to one you would be thinking that Paul led Barnabas into mission work but that's not exactly how it was. In fact it's Barnabas who first mentored Saul, after eight years in the shadows from "ex-persecutor of Christians," to what we know as "Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles." Originally named Joses (meaning consolation) he was renamed by the Apostles to Barnabas (son of encouragement). Barnabas is the sort of Christian we all should be; identifying the call of God on a person, his or her gifting, and helping get them working towards building the kingdom of heaven on earth. Unloving people put others down and raise themselves up but inhibit the spread of the Gospel. Loving people raise others up for the good of the Gospel of Christ. When Barnabas realised Paul was beginning to lead the missionary effort into the rest of the world he placed himself in a followers role where he could still encourage Paul on the difficult road to successfully lead