“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus.” (Acts 4:36)
During this blessed time of outpouring of charity in the early church, there were many that sold their possessions and gave the proceeds to the church. One of these men who sold his land and contributed the proceeds to the church was Joses. We know Joses much better in the Bible as Barnabas, which was his surname given to him by the apostles which means “the son of consolation”. Barnabas had a great gift to encourage and exhort the brethren in the Jerusalem church; so much so that the apostles named him “the son of consolation”. We need to follow Barnabas’ pattern to console, encourage, and admonish the brethren in the church. We should be publicly known and identified by our exhortation of others. Even more so, we look to the God of all Consolation and Jesus Christ as our Son of Consolation, to console and encourage our soul.