Discouragement is part of the human experience. God's people are not immune. Bible heroes faced bleak and hopeless times. We have all been there; we know the gloomy shadows of helplessness. We wondered, "What's the use?" Adding to our pain, the people we thought we could trust to support us turned on us or worse yet abandoned us. We stood alone in our pain and hurt with no helping hands or words of comfort. Barnabas understood the need to encourage others. The King James Version calls him the "son of consolation." Other translations call him the son of exhortation, son of comfort, or son of encouragement. Barnabas understood that hurting people need love and he freely gave it. Think of a time when you hurt and felt alone and then ponder how Barnabas would have made a difference in your life? Or maybe you were blessed and did have a Barnabas loving you through your pain. In either case, you understand the blessing of loving like Barnabas. Our world is hungry for loving Barnabas.