It’s always good to have a productive day! Thank You, Father, for enabling me to keep on task. May I hear Your word clearly tonight and may I share what You want the world to see. Amen.

Acts 15:36-41(<<click here to read the passage)

Disagreements. We may disagree on how disagreements should take place, but we would all probably agree that disagreements are inevitable. On pretty much any level of life, disagreements are going to happen. Even if we say certain relationships don’t have disagreements, it’s probably more that one of the parties is so compliant that any disagreements they might have always fall in favor of the stronger personality of the two.

One interesting thing about Luke’s writing is that he doesn’t give his collection of history a spit polish shine that glosses over the ugly. Whatever happened, he told it like it was.

In today’s passage, controversy in an otherwise harmonious relationship comes to a head. The impactful ministry team of Barnabas and Paul comes to an impasse. It’s time for a “round two” of ministry and though they’ve worked together so well for years – literally – Barnabas is firm on bringing his cousin John Mark along for the journey, while Paul is equally as firm on not bringing him along.

I’m sure that Barnabas, always the encourager, felt that John Mark would make an excellent addition to their work spreading the Gospel. But Paul, and I’d say he was most definitely a man with a pragmatic mindset, felt that John Mark had deserted them once before and probably just felt that they needed someone more dependable.

There was a disagreement. And the only compromise they came to was for both of them to stand their ground. Neither yielded, but both stuck to their guns.

Verses 39-41 say,

Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and…traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there. NLT

So how do we handle disagreements? Sometimes there just isn’t room on either side for giving in, so it may be necessary to part ways, each doing our own thing.

Were they in the wrong for handling things the way they did? Well, if God’s blessing on their efforts shows us how God felt about their separation, He just blessed both of them. The results of Paul’s continued ministry are visible throughout the majority of the New Testament. Barnabas’ results are less visible, but we can see by Paul’s reception of John Mark many years down the pike, that no grudges were held, and it seems though separated that they still held great respect for one another.

Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very helpful to me for the ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11 AMP

Sometimes in our humanity, things happen. But despite our brokenness, God works in and through us for His glory. May it always be so in our lives. Amen!

May 17th, 2022, Tues, 7:18 pm