...into

Howard Hendricks, former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, believed that every person should seek to have three individuals in their life - a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy.

 

A Paul

A Paul is an older person who is willing to mentor you, to build into your life. Not someone who's smarter or more gifted than you, but somebody who's been down the road. Somebody willing to share their strengths and weaknesses - everything they have learned in the laboratory of life. Somebody whose faith you'll want to imitate.

 

A Barnabas

A Barnabas is a soul brother, somebody who loves you but is not impressed by you. Somebody to whom you can be accountable. Somebody who's willing to keep you honest, who's willing to say, "Hey, man, you're neglecting your responsibilities, and don't give me any guff!"

 

A Timothy

A Timothy is a younger person into whose life you are building. For a model, read 1 and 2 Timothy. Here was Paul, the quintessential mentor, building into the life of his protege - affirming, encouraging, teaching, correcting, directing, praying.

 

Do you have these three people in your life?

 

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10