By Pastor Alex Ruelo
Do you know John Mark? He is one of the four who wrote the gospels. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him so he can help him with his ministry. On the other hand, after Paul’s first missionary journey, in Acts 15:37-40, Paul did not want to take Mark with him because he desserted them in Pamphylia. He was probably very young then. This caused Paul and Barnabbas to argue so they went their separate ways. The gospel of Mark was probably the first gospel to be written because his words were quoted several times by the three other gospel writers.
In John Mark’s story, several things can be emphasized.
Growth is essential in the ministry. You cannot be a 10 year old Christian and remain the same. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 says, ““I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” God is the only one who can make you grow. It is different if you’re not a Christian. Being part of God’s family assures you of growth, unless you are not getting any nutrients from God. You used to be easily offended but now you just brush it off. Now our leaders can correct you without worrying about your reactions. Only dead things do not grow.
All wounds heal. Jeremiah 30:17 says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’” There is no other healer but God. Jesus died on the cross so that your wounds will heal. It may not be today or tomorrow but in God’s time, all wounds will heal. It is important to heal because hurt people hurt people. You do not want more people to hurt so you have to let your wounds heal too.
Unrecognized doesn’t mean unseen. Many get offended because they are not recognized. Matthew 6:1-4 says, ““Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Even if nobody recognized what you did, God saw you.
Don’t forget Barnabas! Barnabas was the person who did not give up on John Mark. Mark messed up but Barnabas still wanted to bring him with him. Barnabas had to argue with Paul. They went their separate ways because Barnabas stood his ground.
What should you do?
Allow God to mature you. It is God who will give you thematurity if you are close to him. Also, it is not your job to make other people grow and change. That is also God’s job. All you have to do is plant the seed.
Allow yourself to forgive. You ill not grow if something is stopping you from growing. Release and forgive the person who offended you.
Allow others to correct you. You may think that you are right all the time. But try to look at things from another point of view. You might actuallybe wrong and that is ok.
Allow God to reward you. Do not steal the reward from God by going ahead of Him. Do not praise yourself to get attention and recognition. It is sweeter if God will be the one to reward you.
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