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SCRIPTURE: Acts (NIV) 15:36 Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
OBSERVATION: Barnabas saw something special in Mark. Maybe it was only with the eyes of faith, but he remained true in accepting Mark. How blessed we are that Barnabas did so or we would not have had the gospel of Mark.
Barnabas has proved to be a special blessing to the church. In Acts 9 we read that Barnabas accepted Saul/Paul when it was unpopular; here in chapter 15, he remained true to Mark when Paul would not accept him as a traveling companion. These two (Saul/Paul and Mark) benefitted greatly from the ministry of Barnabas and both wrote parts of the New Testament (Paul’s letters and Mark’s gospel). Saul/Paul and Mark were like fruitful trees that grew out of the fertile soil of Barnabas.
APPLICATION: May I not be so quick to write people off my “acceptable” list. They may not be perfect, but neither am I. The Lord’s Prayer tells me to ask for forgiveness in the same way I forgive others. That would imply that I should ask for acceptance in the same way I accept others!
PRAYER: Lord, like Barnabas, help me to allow imperfect people to grow out of the soil of my life. Amen.
Pastor Leon
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