Seeing Things Differently
Acts 15:37-39 Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark with them too. But on their first trip John Mark did not continue with them in the work. He had left them at Pamphylia. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him this time. Paul and Barnabas had a big argument about this. It was so bad that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas sailed to Cyprus and took Mark with him.
It amazes me how two people can look at the same issue, the same thing – the same object, even – and yet see two entirely different things. Why does that happen? How does that happen?
I was at a conference recently and the woman sitting next to me, it turned out, had exactly the same model of mobile phone as mine. We’d both laid them face down on the table in front of us.
Mine had a spotless navy-blue cover on it. Hers – unbelievably!! – had a clear cover, with all these different stickers that she’d stuck willy-nilly all over it. Aaaargh! I could never live with a cover like that!
Two identical phones, belonging to two completely different people with completely different perspectives. And that’s just how life is. But there’s nothing new in any of that.
Acts 15:37-39 Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark with them too. But on their first trip John Mark did not continue with them in the work. He had left them at Pamphylia. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him this time. Paul and Barnabas had a big argument about this. It was so bad that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas sailed to Cyprus and took Mark with him.
These two great Bible characters – Paul and Barnabas – were used mightily of God. And yet they were sinners just like you and me. Their differences ended in a sharp argument.
People are always – listen to me … always! – going to come at things from different perspectives. But let’s not allow that to cause arguments. We can disagree with each other, but we can do it in love.
That’s God’s Word fresh… for you… today.
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