Day 69

 

Reliability

 

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 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.

 

Acts 15:37-38

 

I read about a lady in London, England that had a cleaning business. She put an ad in the paper looking for workers and asked that only "hardworking" and reliable people apply. A government agency made her change the ad. The agency said the ad discriminated against those who were unreliable.

When Paul and Barnabas were getting ready for their second missionary journey they had a disagreement over the personnel to go on the trip. Barnabas wanted John Mark to go with them but Paul thought he was unreliable. He thought that because John Mark had quit and gone home during their first missionary trip. The missionary trips were hard and often times dangerous and Paul wanted someone he could count on. So Paul took Silas with him and then added Timothy early on in the trip. Then, right before entering Europe, Paul added another worker as Luke joined them. Silas, Timothy and Luke proved themselves to be very reliable and useful.

Barnabas did take John Mark with him and they went on their own missionary journey to the island of Cyprus. Twelve years after Paul had dismissed John Mark as being unreliable he was once again in Paul's good graces and helping Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome (Colossians 4:10). Five years after that Paul is in Rome, in prison again and writes Timothy, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry." (2 Timothy 4:11) Somewhere along the way Mark had figured out how to be reliable.

What about you? Have you figured out how to be reliable and useful for ministry? Can God depend on you?

 

Upon Further Review:

 

Read Acts 13:13

• Is any indication given of a good reason for John Mark to leave Paul and Barnabas?

Read Philemon 24

• What does Paul call John Mark?