After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. Acts 15:36-37
One notable thing about encouragement is that it is not contingent on one’s performance. It is when people are struggling that they often need encouragement the most. We have to be kind, considerate, and even patient as they grow. Loving people who have it all together is easy. Making time for those who are in process can be difficult. But this type of encouragement is so important.
In Acts 15, we find a story of what true encouragement looks like. In this chapter, Paul and Barnabas wanted to make a trip to visit the cities that they had preached the good news of Jesus Christ. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. The problem is, John Mark had previously left them on an earlier missionary journey. As a result, Paul did not want to take him again. Barnabas, on the other hand, believed John Mark deserved another chance. Paul and Barnabas disagreed so strongly that they separated. Paul went with Silas, another missionary, and Barnabas traveled with John Mark.
Barnabas’s insistence on taking John Mark with him and Paul speaks to his encouraging spirit. Although John Mark had abandoned them, Barnabas did not give up on him. Barnabas did not hold John Mark’s mistake against him and gave him another chance to serve. This is what encouragement looks like. An encouraging spirit believes in people, despite performance or failure. Will you and I carry that same encouraging Spirit? Will we be willing to give second chances, the same way you and I have been shown second chance after second chance?
Is there someone who comes to mind who you are struggling to have patience with as you have tried to encourage them? Write that person’s name down in a notebook or journal. Then, write out a prayer for them. Pray that they would persevere through good and bad times and ask God to give you an extra measure of patience for them. Reach out to that person today and give them a phone call or send them an encouraging text. Let them know that you are with them and that your encouragement is not contingent on performance.
Read Acts 15:38-39(NLT)
But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.
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