Paul(s), Barnabus(es), and Timothy(s)

When I play sports, it’s inevitable that I classify those playing with me into three categories based on their ability levels. The first group includes the players that are better than me, whether through technique, strength, or experience. The second includes people with less skill, although depending on the sport there may be fewer in this group than any other. And then there are those that are equal to me in skill. It is the most fun playing with this group since we can often push each other to our best performances.

Rock climbing is an activity in particular that exemplifies this categorization because of its inherent nature to be a partner oriented activity. There are plenty of examples of famous climbers, such as John Gill, John Bachar, and Dean Potter, who have avoided climbing with others both as a way to push themselves and in a search for spiritual enlightenment. However, for those of us who don’t push the limits of what is safe and sane in the climbing world (I mean who wouldn’t want to use a rope to protect you while you’re 100 ft above the ground?) a partnership with at least one other climber to share belaying duty is a necessity. So I find myself climbing with the same types of friends that I do any activity with: those who are better than me, those whom I can outperform, and those who have similar abilities.

These categories of friendship and partnership carry over to all aspects of our lives, not just in sports and recreation. Making a Biblical parallel, these different groups of people remind me a lot of the relationships between Paul, Barnabus, and Timothy. Paul was a great leader of the early church, making grand journeys across the known world at that time, converting many, establishing churches, and writing many letters of encouragement. He was an excellent mentor, especially to the young man named Timothy, and passed on his wisdom and knowledge of the grace of God. From the other point of view, I believe that Timothy became an amazing church leader mainly because of the instruction and guidance that he received from Paul. Barnabus, worked with Paul in several missionary journeys and seemed to have a special knack for encouraging people, as his nickname the “Son of Encouragement” suggests. Paul most likely owes much of his success preaching the word of God to the relationship that he had with Barnabus. Having a contemporary doing the same thing beside you and encouraging you to give your all is a powerful thing. It is from these men of God that I label the three categories of people that I have mentioned several times earlier.

Mentorship is very important, as is having friends that walk beside us encouraging us all along the way. I am extremely thankful for the “Paul(s)” and “Barnabus(es)” that have been a part of my life over the years and I hope that I am able to adequately give back to the “Timothy(s)” that I get to spend time with. Take this time to identify in your mind the people that have been mentors and positive friends in your life and then think about people you could be mentoring, passing on the blessings that you have received from others.