"Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take [him] with them.... Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another."
Acts 15:37-39a
John Mark became a lightning rod for disagreement between Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas, always the encourager, wanted to give Mark (his nephew) a chance to redeem himself after the previous trip when Mark deserted them. But Saul would have no part of it. His focus was to spread the Gospel, not to coddle a young man. So the contention became very heated. Paul later wrote, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). But sometimes there seems to be no possibility of agreement and still keep integrity. It was not a matter of someone being wrong. It was a matter of perception. So what do you do when two godly men disagree? Sometimes, the best solution is for them to go their separate ways and allow time to heal the schism. In the end, Paul called for Mark because he was "useful to me for ministry" (II Timothy 4:11).
Today's Thought: Godly men can disagree, but they may need to part ways.
Have a peaceable day. Love you.
No comments:
Post a Comment