The kiddos and I have been studying the life of Christ. As I have prepared to teach it, I have been often impressed with Him. I just began today to look more thoroughly at the calling of the fishermen. I was still carrying around my young child take in this story. I remember being taught and impressed by these guys who with blind faith left everything to follow this man they didn't know because of His commanding and compelling presence.
Studying this more carefully, I understand that these men had been following Jesus around for a while already - maybe close to a year. John's gospel gives us time markers which help to see that progression of things.
With the knowledge that Peter, Andrew, James, and John already knew Jesus well when He called them to be fishers of men, I am impressed with Jesus far more than with the men. Oh sure, it took remarkable faith and loyalty to leave *everything* and go away with Jesus. However, it the Son of Man,Jesus, who impacted them greatly enough to build in their hearts such great faith. They had been John's followers first (John 1:35-42.) Then when being "introduced" to Jesus by John with such confidence on John's part, they began to follow Jesus around, going with Him to the wedding at Cana - John 2:1-11 - then all the way to Jerusalem and back again to Galilee - John 1:12 - 2:46. By the time He called them to follow Him from their fishing expedition at the sea of Galilee, Jesus had displayed such remarkable wisdom, purity, and power that walking away from everything was easy.
Am I that impressed with Jesus? Do I find it easy to follow Him? (Matthew 11:28-30) This is really convicting to me. Jesus expressed frustration as seen in John that people had to have a sign to believe. They didn't find Him alone to be enough reason for belief. He walked on the earth as the Son of God pouring out the wonderful new covenant straight from the Father. What a privilege indeed to leave everything and follow the Son of the Most High God, Creator and Master of all! Oh that He would remind me of that all along the way!

I am looking for some advice. Over the years I have had children make something for me or someone else that I, or the other person, end up not knowing what should be done with it. It is for that reason that I am not a fan of cards. When I receive one it may really touch me, but then I don't know what to do with it. I feel guilty, ungrateful, and wasteful throwing them away. I have saved some for crafts, which isn't bad, but even then they build up. It's like that with those little gifts that are made by little hands or dug out of their pile of stuffed animals. What do you do with them?
The thing I want advice about is what to do when I have a sap for a child who wants to give gifts for everyone's special day or occasion. The gifts are, again, an old toy or stuffed animal that was grabbed up without any thought but how fun it is to give something, or a hastily created something or other.
I have explained that when we give a gift we do so for the benefit of the recipient, and that it should cost something of us. It doesn't change the always present process though. I don't want to "hurt feelings," but I know how awkward it is to receive one of these gifts. (After my surgery, a child gave me a baby toy belonging to them simply because they wanted to give a gift.)
How do I encourage thoughtfulness but refine the gift giving itself? Personally I think it's better not to give a gift than to give a useless one just for the sake of giving one.
Let me know what you think.

Over the years I have off and on thought about he "sharp disagreement" that Paul and Barnabas had in Acts 15. I have seen misapplications of that story for the end of excuse making in some difficult disagreement. I have found myself championing Barnabas while not really vilifying Paul, but because I prefer his side and identify more with it.

A recent discussion made me think more about the disagreement between these two men. I kept wondering at the question of how to know when to be a Paul and when to be a Barnabas. Further, I have been asking why is there a picking of sides. Neither man was wrong in the disagreement. Both had valid, even noble, reasons for their opinions. So what then? How do you apply this in your own disagreements?

My conclusion thus far is respect and humility. Sometimes there are disagreements with a right and a wrong side. The incident with Paul and Barnabas, however, isn't that. Both men were thinking and deciding rightly but oppositely. Both men were obviously pleasing to God. However, they DISAGREED.

Paul was about the business of preaching the gospel and of strengthening the saints. It was his mission, his life, his passion. Barnabas was a man for the individual. He was an encourager of the small person, not just the huge mob. Paul's way of thinking led to great productivity and many victories for God. Barnabas's way of thinking led to the reformation of an individual. Both men had a grand impact. Both men loved God and honestly pursued His goals, and that is all that really matters.

This story seems far less to me a lesson in how to resolve a fight (though it may be that) and more of an admonishment to respect and be grateful for the equally useful, though very different, gifts, methods and personalities of each other.

So when you hear "Paul" arguing his case with you, or when you hear "Barnabas" pleading his, evaluate honestly. Is the other person deciding something sinfully, or is it just different from your best ideas? Again, be honest - humble. Maybe you are wrong. Be willing to check into what God has to say about a matter and accept the truth. When that is done, if neither person has a sinful stance, then respect the one opposite of yours and do everything with the motive of glorifying God on His terms. Be a Barnabas. Be a Paul. Either is valid.