MIND THE GAP
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Opening Prayer
Jesus, yours is the name to be honored above all others; at your name, every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bow.* Thank you that in your name, salvation is mine; accept my love and praise.
Read ACTS 15:30—41
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Acts
Acts 15
30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.
31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.
32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.
33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers 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 believers to the grace of the Lord.
41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Reflect
When there is conflict, do you allow for communication breakdown or seek a resolution?Set against a tranquil backdrop of much glad encouragement comes the storm of a ‘sharp disagreement.’ It is messy—there’s no getting around it, and we can be grateful that Luke doesn’t brush this episode in the life of the early church under the carpet. His inclusion of the incident serves as a caution by underlining the seriousness of the sad event. Additionally, it reminds us that God’s redemptive power reaches to the lowest scenes in our stories and lifts new life from them. In this case, the planned single-ministry journey turns into two trips, and the three travelers become four, all of whom continue with lives of fruitful service.
This painful picture of disagreement between Christian colleagues also points us to the reality of relational gaps and the priority of filling those with trust. What might have happened if Paul and Barnabas had approached the conflict with well-founded confidence in each other’s heart and discernment? They may still have chosen different courses and co-workers, only more lovingly and peacefully. Whether the gaps we experience emerge in relationships with Christian family, friends, or fellow workers, filling those gaps with wise trust—including God’s redemptive power to bring good—can help us to navigate the storm.
Apply
Call to mind a conflict—personal, local, or global—and ask God for his redemptive mercy to bring good from it.
Closing prayer
Father, I want to foster relationships that honor you. Please help me build bridges of trust where I experience conflict. Give me confidence in your ability to bring good, regardless of how great the difficulty.
*Phil 2:9—10
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