3 hours ago
When I first found out we were having a boy, one of the first things I did was buy Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson. I was pretty overwhelmed at the thought of raising a boy. Mostly because I'm a girl - I've never been a little boy, so I don't know how they think, and I decided any insight into little boys would be pretty valuable.
I'm almost done with it now - it has taken me forever to finish it, because we've been so busy. There are a couple of things that Dr. Dobson says in the book that I don't completely agree with, but I've found the majority of the book to be interesting and helpful.
I was reading a chapter last night about building meaningful relationships with your kids, and something was mentioned that I never thought of before. It said "the first five minutes occurring between people sets the tone for everything that is to follow".
When I read that, I realized how true it really is. My interactions with Derek in the first five minutes of the day, or in the first five minutes after he gets home, does set the tone for the rest of our time together. If we're cheerful and greet each other with a smile, we typically have a lovely day or evening. But if one or the other of us is grouchy or distracted, our time together is usually less than enjoyable.
I've written before of my conviction about my words, including this verse:
"But I say to you that for every idle word that men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement."
Matthew 12:36
Not only will I have to give an account for my careless words someday, but they also have an immediate effect on a relationship. I knew that, but I never thought about the fact that one careless word could affect the rest of my interaction with that person, whether for the rest of the day, or even the rest of the relationship. It's a sobering thought.
I'm going to attempt keep the effect of "the first five minutes" in mind in my interactions with those I love - because if I can control my own attitude in those first few minutes, alot of conflicts and tension could be avoided, and my relationships with my family and Derek could be much more peaceful and satisfying.
I wonder if this principle applies to dogs too? Harvey has been driving me nuts lately . . .
Christmas is just three days away! This is a special Christmas to me. This time last year I remember thinking how special it would be to be pregnant at Christmas time.
As the day that we celebrate our Savior's birth draws nearer, and as this little boy's movements become more distinct, I find myself wondering about Mary. It warms my heart and makes me smile every time I feel my son kick and squirm inside me. How must Mary have felt, knowing that the baby that kicked and squirmed inside her was God Himself?
I haven't been through childbirth yet, but I imagine that when I do give birth to our son, Derek and I will both be filled with joy, and overwhelmed at this gift that God has given us. When I think of how Derek and I will feel, I wonder how Mary and Joseph must have felt bringing Jesus into the world, because they knew. They knew Who He really was. As they looked at that newborn baby boy, their emotions must have been even more overwhelming, because they knew He wasn't just a gift to them - He was God's gift to all mankind.
It is special to be pregnant at Christmas time - because every time I look down at my ever-growing belly and think of my son, I also think about another girl, in another time, who must of looked down at her belly the same way and thought about her Son - God Incarnate, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
And I think about what He endured to save her, and me, and any person who puts their trust in Him. His sacrifice is the greatest Christmas present of all time. No other gift could compare.
Such a gift calls for no less than a life devoted to Him. So as my boy presses against my belly and makes me smile again, I pray for help to serve Jesus better, and I pray for my son to grow up to serve and know Him as well. Because that is what life is all about.
As the day that we celebrate our Savior's birth draws nearer, and as this little boy's movements become more distinct, I find myself wondering about Mary. It warms my heart and makes me smile every time I feel my son kick and squirm inside me. How must Mary have felt, knowing that the baby that kicked and squirmed inside her was God Himself?
I haven't been through childbirth yet, but I imagine that when I do give birth to our son, Derek and I will both be filled with joy, and overwhelmed at this gift that God has given us. When I think of how Derek and I will feel, I wonder how Mary and Joseph must have felt bringing Jesus into the world, because they knew. They knew Who He really was. As they looked at that newborn baby boy, their emotions must have been even more overwhelming, because they knew He wasn't just a gift to them - He was God's gift to all mankind.
It is special to be pregnant at Christmas time - because every time I look down at my ever-growing belly and think of my son, I also think about another girl, in another time, who must of looked down at her belly the same way and thought about her Son - God Incarnate, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
And I think about what He endured to save her, and me, and any person who puts their trust in Him. His sacrifice is the greatest Christmas present of all time. No other gift could compare.
Such a gift calls for no less than a life devoted to Him. So as my boy presses against my belly and makes me smile again, I pray for help to serve Jesus better, and I pray for my son to grow up to serve and know Him as well. Because that is what life is all about.
I don't think the world hates me enough.
That may seem like an odd statement to those who don't know where I'm coming from. But as a Christian, the Bible promises that the world will hate me (Matthew 10:22).
Or at least they should hate me, if I'm doing my job right.
But if I'm honest with myself, I really don't think I'm very hated. I just go about my daily business, the world goes about theirs, and we don't think about each other very much.
I would hope the people I encounter on a daily basis would be able to tell that I'm a Christian by the references I make to my faith in daily conversation (few as they are), or by the way I live my life. I would hope they would be able to tell that something is different.
But that's not really enough, is it?
Jesus commands us to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). But they can't really be made disciples if I'm not willing to say something, can they?
I really struggle with evangelism. I hate that I struggle with evangelism. How hard is it to just ask someone what they believe? How hard is it to just say what I believe? How is it that something that is the most important thing in my life is so hard to talk about with others? Something is wrong here.
I could go into the whole, "not everyone has the gift of evangelism" thing. And although I think that it is true that some have a real gift for reaching others with the gospel, it's not a good excuse. Because evangelism is something we are all called to do, whether we are good at it or not.
I'm not good at evangelism. I'm not sure exactly what it is that I'm afraid of. I think I'm most afraid that I'll try to reach out to someone by telling them about Jesus, and they'll ask a question that I won't know how to answer, or I'll stumble over my words and make the gospel seem weak. I'm afraid I'll let everyone down and misrepresent my Lord if I don't say the right thing.
But then, I'm really placing all the emphasis on what I can do to bring others to Christ when I think that way, when in reality, I can't do a thing. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people of their sin, the Holy Spirit is the one who opens their eyes and brings them to Jesus. Don't I think He's big enough to use my words, flawed as they may be, for His ultimate purpose?
I wish I could say that this is something I will get better at, but I honestly don't know. I feel as if fear rules me in this.
I do know, however, that perfect love casts out fear. God has shown me His perfect love by sending Jesus to live, die, and rise from the dead in order to save me - and it's wrong of me not to share that perfect love with others.
I wish the world hated me more. Because if they did, it would mean that I would be doing my job - I would be speaking about Jesus to those I know, sharing with them how they can be saved, and reflecting the glory of God to those around me.
Unfortunately, I fall woefully short of doing any of these things. The world and I go about our business, not thinking about each other much at all. And I'm not even sure how to fix it.
Lord, please help me to be bold in telling others about You. I have not been following your command to "go and make disciples", and I don't even know where to start - but You do, and I pray You would show me what to do, and what to say. Forgive me for ignoring your clear commandment in this are, and thank You for showing me grace, even when I continually fail.
Does anyone else struggle with this? And what has helped you become a brighter light for Christ?
That may seem like an odd statement to those who don't know where I'm coming from. But as a Christian, the Bible promises that the world will hate me (Matthew 10:22).
Or at least they should hate me, if I'm doing my job right.
But if I'm honest with myself, I really don't think I'm very hated. I just go about my daily business, the world goes about theirs, and we don't think about each other very much.
I would hope the people I encounter on a daily basis would be able to tell that I'm a Christian by the references I make to my faith in daily conversation (few as they are), or by the way I live my life. I would hope they would be able to tell that something is different.
But that's not really enough, is it?
Jesus commands us to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). But they can't really be made disciples if I'm not willing to say something, can they?
I really struggle with evangelism. I hate that I struggle with evangelism. How hard is it to just ask someone what they believe? How hard is it to just say what I believe? How is it that something that is the most important thing in my life is so hard to talk about with others? Something is wrong here.
I could go into the whole, "not everyone has the gift of evangelism" thing. And although I think that it is true that some have a real gift for reaching others with the gospel, it's not a good excuse. Because evangelism is something we are all called to do, whether we are good at it or not.
I'm not good at evangelism. I'm not sure exactly what it is that I'm afraid of. I think I'm most afraid that I'll try to reach out to someone by telling them about Jesus, and they'll ask a question that I won't know how to answer, or I'll stumble over my words and make the gospel seem weak. I'm afraid I'll let everyone down and misrepresent my Lord if I don't say the right thing.
But then, I'm really placing all the emphasis on what I can do to bring others to Christ when I think that way, when in reality, I can't do a thing. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people of their sin, the Holy Spirit is the one who opens their eyes and brings them to Jesus. Don't I think He's big enough to use my words, flawed as they may be, for His ultimate purpose?
I wish I could say that this is something I will get better at, but I honestly don't know. I feel as if fear rules me in this.
I do know, however, that perfect love casts out fear. God has shown me His perfect love by sending Jesus to live, die, and rise from the dead in order to save me - and it's wrong of me not to share that perfect love with others.
I wish the world hated me more. Because if they did, it would mean that I would be doing my job - I would be speaking about Jesus to those I know, sharing with them how they can be saved, and reflecting the glory of God to those around me.
Unfortunately, I fall woefully short of doing any of these things. The world and I go about our business, not thinking about each other much at all. And I'm not even sure how to fix it.
Lord, please help me to be bold in telling others about You. I have not been following your command to "go and make disciples", and I don't even know where to start - but You do, and I pray You would show me what to do, and what to say. Forgive me for ignoring your clear commandment in this are, and thank You for showing me grace, even when I continually fail.
Does anyone else struggle with this? And what has helped you become a brighter light for Christ?
I recently joined the Blogging For Books program which is run by Waterbrook Multonomah Publishing Group. I've confessed that I'm a bookworm, and this program allows me to get books for free if I agree to post a review about them. How can I pass that up? If you're a fellow book-lover you should check out the Blogging For Books website and sign up too.
Several months ago I heard about the book Radical by David Platt. The sub-title particularly caught my eye "Taking Your Faith Back From The American Dream."
Now, I am pretty fiercely patriotic, so when I saw the sub-title, I wasn't sure what to think about this book. I get rather defensive whenever it appears that someone is criticizing one of the things that I think makes America great, and that includes the freedom that we enjoy in America to work hard toward our goals and provide a good life for our families.
I was expecting it to be one of those anti-American, liberal-minded type books, but something made me read the first chapter anyway (it was available to read online).
After reading the first chapter, I realized that the topic of this book really wasn't even close to my initial impression of it, so I decided to request it for my first book to review, and I must say, I found it challenging and not anti-American at all.
David Platt clearly states early on in the book that "Certainly hard work and high aspirations are not bad, and the freedom to pursue our goals is something we should celebrate." That helped to clear up the initial impression I had received from the title, and the rest of the book focused instead on warning American Christians to not let the American Dream distract us from our higher loyalty and calling as Christians - which includes glorifying God (instead of ourselves and our own abilities), reaching the world with the gospel, giving of our resources in order to further the gospel and help the needy, personally working to bring the knowledge of Jesus to those who don't know Him, and not being afraid to give our lives in these biblical pursuits.
I think the underlying points that Platt brings to light in this book are valid and biblically sound, but I sometimes take issue with the way he says them. For example, at one point Platt discusses the point that American churches sometimes focus too much on what we're called not to do, instead of the things we are called to do as Christians, and he states that when we change our focus in this way "All of a sudden, holiness is defined by what we do." I feel as if that statement almost sounds like a works-based philosophy, but I know that in the context that is not what he is saying. There were a couple such instances in the book, but they were minor enough that they weren't a major issue - the underlying points were sound, and usually the issue was discussed in more detail somewhere in the book, which made Platt's position more clear. I just made notes in the book to clarify for myself for future reference.
Overall, I found this book to be very challenging. Most people are going to feel uncomfortable reading this book; I certainly did. Platt brings up biblical commands that aren't comfortable to consider - such as guarding against materialism, giving sacrificially, and going personally to "make disciples of all nations".
However, no one ever said that following Christ would be comfortable - in fact, if we're feeling comfortable, we probably aren't giving as much of our lives to Him as we should be. In our American church culture it is so easy to fall into that comfortable place, and David Platt brings a full-on, biblical attack against that kind of attitude.
I was convicted, especially by the chapter on materialism, and I find myself thinking of practical ways I can apply what I've read in Radical to my own life. I would recommend this book to any Christian who is feeling a little too comfortable or content in their current walk with Christ - it will challenge you, and it will lead you to think more deeply about what we are called to do as followers of Christ - and that definitely makes it worth reading in my opinion.
Note: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. This is my honest opinion on the book.
Several months ago I heard about the book Radical by David Platt. The sub-title particularly caught my eye "Taking Your Faith Back From The American Dream."
Now, I am pretty fiercely patriotic, so when I saw the sub-title, I wasn't sure what to think about this book. I get rather defensive whenever it appears that someone is criticizing one of the things that I think makes America great, and that includes the freedom that we enjoy in America to work hard toward our goals and provide a good life for our families.
I was expecting it to be one of those anti-American, liberal-minded type books, but something made me read the first chapter anyway (it was available to read online).
After reading the first chapter, I realized that the topic of this book really wasn't even close to my initial impression of it, so I decided to request it for my first book to review, and I must say, I found it challenging and not anti-American at all.
David Platt clearly states early on in the book that "Certainly hard work and high aspirations are not bad, and the freedom to pursue our goals is something we should celebrate." That helped to clear up the initial impression I had received from the title, and the rest of the book focused instead on warning American Christians to not let the American Dream distract us from our higher loyalty and calling as Christians - which includes glorifying God (instead of ourselves and our own abilities), reaching the world with the gospel, giving of our resources in order to further the gospel and help the needy, personally working to bring the knowledge of Jesus to those who don't know Him, and not being afraid to give our lives in these biblical pursuits.
I think the underlying points that Platt brings to light in this book are valid and biblically sound, but I sometimes take issue with the way he says them. For example, at one point Platt discusses the point that American churches sometimes focus too much on what we're called not to do, instead of the things we are called to do as Christians, and he states that when we change our focus in this way "All of a sudden, holiness is defined by what we do." I feel as if that statement almost sounds like a works-based philosophy, but I know that in the context that is not what he is saying. There were a couple such instances in the book, but they were minor enough that they weren't a major issue - the underlying points were sound, and usually the issue was discussed in more detail somewhere in the book, which made Platt's position more clear. I just made notes in the book to clarify for myself for future reference.
Overall, I found this book to be very challenging. Most people are going to feel uncomfortable reading this book; I certainly did. Platt brings up biblical commands that aren't comfortable to consider - such as guarding against materialism, giving sacrificially, and going personally to "make disciples of all nations".
However, no one ever said that following Christ would be comfortable - in fact, if we're feeling comfortable, we probably aren't giving as much of our lives to Him as we should be. In our American church culture it is so easy to fall into that comfortable place, and David Platt brings a full-on, biblical attack against that kind of attitude.
I was convicted, especially by the chapter on materialism, and I find myself thinking of practical ways I can apply what I've read in Radical to my own life. I would recommend this book to any Christian who is feeling a little too comfortable or content in their current walk with Christ - it will challenge you, and it will lead you to think more deeply about what we are called to do as followers of Christ - and that definitely makes it worth reading in my opinion.
Note: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. This is my honest opinion on the book.
It's hard to register for a baby.
When you go to register for your wedding it's so easy - you just pick things that you like. But when you register for a baby you have to think of everything you are going to need, and then there's quality and safety to consider.
Honestly, I had no idea where to start. I've never had a baby before, so I don't know what I need!
Thankfully several months ago I came across a list of baby things on Ashley's blog, For The Love Of Shoes And A Baby Too. So when I realized my baby shower was just a month and a half away and I needed to register, I copied the list I found on her blog and took it to my mom.
My mom not only took care of me when I was a baby, but she took care of my twin brother and sister - she had three of us under three years old for a while there! I knew she could help me figure out what I really needed and what was just icing on the cake, and the list was a great place to start.
My mom and I tweaked it a bit, and I thought I'd post the modified list here - just in case any of you need a starting point in the future! Please feel free to copy this list and take it to your mother, or someone else you know, for tweaking as well - it won't hurt my feelings at all!
Things For Baby
4-8 bodysuits and onesies
8 one-piece pajamas
2 blanket sleepers
1-3 sweaters or jackets
1-3 rompers or dress-up outfits
4-7 socks or booties
1-3 hats
1 bunting bag or fleece suit (for winter baby)
Crib, cradle, or bassinet
Firm, flat mattress
2 washable crib mattress pads
Bumper pads - breathable
4 fitted crib sheets
6 light receiving blankets
2 heavier blankets
Music box, sound machine, or CD player
Crib mobile
Baby monitor
Nightlight
Dresser
Storage baskets
Swing and/or bouncy chair
Contoured changing pad for table with safety strap
Changing pad cover
Diaper pail
Diaper pail liners
Vaseline or Diaper cream
Diapers
Unscented Baby Wipes or Handi Wipes
Soft baby washcloths
Baby bathtub
Baby soap
Baby shampoo
2-4 soft hooded bath towels
Baby grooming items (hairbrush, comb, clippers, toothbrush)
16 bottles and nipples both 4 and 8 ounces
Bottle brush
Dishwasher basket for small items
4-8 bibs
Burp cloths/cloth diapers
High chair
2-4 pacifiers
Infant car seat and stroller
Diaper bag
Changing pad
Baby carrier/sling
Pack 'N' Play
Medical items for baby
2-3 week's supply of pads
Nursing pads
Pump
Nursing gown
That's the list. Hopefully some of you will find it as helpful as I did!
Derek and I already have several of the bigger items (thanks to family members and hand-me-downs), so I didn't have to register for everything on that list!
Looking at the list of things we need for baby always makes me anxious to (1) meet the little guy, and (2) go shopping! But I'll wait until after our baby shower . . .
Ever since we found out that we're having a baby boy, Derek and I have been getting asked about what we're going to name our baby.
I promise that I'm not evading the question so that I can keep it a secret until his birth. We just honestly don't know what we want to name our little boy.
It seems like everyone has names picked out for their children so quickly, and I feel like a bit of a name-picking slacker. But I find that if I think about a name too much I tend to get tired of it, and then I'm not sure if I like it anymore. That's why I didn't have names picked out for a boy already.
In an effort to start thinking about what names I like, I went to the Social Security website. If you go to their website you can see the top 1000 names from any given year since 1879. It's a pretty cool feature.
So I decided to print up the list of the top 1000 names from the years of 1900 and 2009.
I picked 2009 because I want to see what's popular right now.
I picked 1900 because Derek and I like classic/Old English names. I'm not so crazy about modern names - I like a name to have a history, personally, and I like it to be easy to spell. I figured I'd get a good variety of classic names from the year 1900.
I saved the lists to my computer and started deleting some of the names that I know I don't like. I wasn't too surprised at seeing some crazy ones in the 2009 list, but I was very surprised by what I found in the 1900 list.
Apparently it was a fad in the year 1900 to name little boys with girl's names.
Oh, but not just the general girl's names, the ones that could be a bit ambiguous - like Ashley or Lindsey or Kelly. I still think those are girl's names, but you hear them enough as boy's names that it's not entirely unusual.
No, I'm talking extremely feminine names. Names like Rose, Elsie, Gertrude, Ella, Helen, Allison, Irene, Vivian, Annie/Anna, Emma, and Margaret.
And these weren't just isolated incidents.
Eleven little boys were named Lillian.
Sixteen were named Elizabeth.
Twenty-two Jewel's, and twenty-two Bertha's.
And yes, there were even nine boys named Callie. At least with that one they could be called "Cal" or something. How do you shorten Lillian to something acceptable? Or Anna?
All together, about half a percent of the boys born in 1900 had what I would consider to be clearly girl's names. That may not sound like much at first, but it probably adds up to a couple hundred boys at least.
Those poor little guys.
I kept double checking the list to make sure I was on the boy side. But there was no mistake - it was the boy side.
It just goes to show that people can think up weird names for their babies no matter what year they live in.
I promise that I'm not evading the question so that I can keep it a secret until his birth. We just honestly don't know what we want to name our little boy.
It seems like everyone has names picked out for their children so quickly, and I feel like a bit of a name-picking slacker. But I find that if I think about a name too much I tend to get tired of it, and then I'm not sure if I like it anymore. That's why I didn't have names picked out for a boy already.
In an effort to start thinking about what names I like, I went to the Social Security website. If you go to their website you can see the top 1000 names from any given year since 1879. It's a pretty cool feature.
So I decided to print up the list of the top 1000 names from the years of 1900 and 2009.
I picked 2009 because I want to see what's popular right now.
I picked 1900 because Derek and I like classic/Old English names. I'm not so crazy about modern names - I like a name to have a history, personally, and I like it to be easy to spell. I figured I'd get a good variety of classic names from the year 1900.
I saved the lists to my computer and started deleting some of the names that I know I don't like. I wasn't too surprised at seeing some crazy ones in the 2009 list, but I was very surprised by what I found in the 1900 list.
Apparently it was a fad in the year 1900 to name little boys with girl's names.
Oh, but not just the general girl's names, the ones that could be a bit ambiguous - like Ashley or Lindsey or Kelly. I still think those are girl's names, but you hear them enough as boy's names that it's not entirely unusual.
No, I'm talking extremely feminine names. Names like Rose, Elsie, Gertrude, Ella, Helen, Allison, Irene, Vivian, Annie/Anna, Emma, and Margaret.
And these weren't just isolated incidents.
Eleven little boys were named Lillian.
Sixteen were named Elizabeth.
Twenty-two Jewel's, and twenty-two Bertha's.
And yes, there were even nine boys named Callie. At least with that one they could be called "Cal" or something. How do you shorten Lillian to something acceptable? Or Anna?
All together, about half a percent of the boys born in 1900 had what I would consider to be clearly girl's names. That may not sound like much at first, but it probably adds up to a couple hundred boys at least.
Those poor little guys.
I kept double checking the list to make sure I was on the boy side. But there was no mistake - it was the boy side.
It just goes to show that people can think up weird names for their babies no matter what year they live in.
I read a funny verse a couple months ago.
I was reading in the gospel of Mark about when Jesus was betrayed and arrested. And these two verses caught my eye:
"A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind."
Mark 14:51-52
I believe every verse in the Bible is in there for a reason, even the ones that don't seem to fit - we just have to figure out the reason why. So I found myself wondering who that young man was, and why it was important for him to be mentioned there.
I told Derek about that verse and my puzzlement over it, and he whipped out his Life Application Study Bible and looked it up for me. Then he told me what his footnotes said, and the story started to make more sense.
In the footnotes, it noted that Christian tradition says that the young man in those verses was Mark, the author of the gospel of Mark. He is also known by the name of John Mark.
Well, that caught my attention, because I remembered that John Mark was who Paul and Barnabas argued about when they parted ways in Acts. I never fully understood why Paul didn't want John Mark to come with them on the missionary journey, and I never understood why Barnabas was so adamant about defending him. It always seemed like such a shame to have them separate over something like that.
So Derek did a bit more digging for me and this is what his Life Application Bible had to say about John Mark:
"Mistakes are effective teachers. Their consequences have a way of making lessons painfully clear. But those who learn from their mistakes are likely to develop wisdom. John Mark was a good learner who just needed some time and encouragement.
Mark was eager to do the right thing, but he had trouble staying with a task. In his Gospel, Mark mentions a young man (probably referring to himself) who fled in such fear during Jesus' arrest that he left his clothes behind. This tendency to run was to reappear later when Paul and Barnabas took him as their assistant on their first missionary journey. At their second stop Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.
It was a decision Paul did not easily accept. In preparing for their second journey two years later, Barnabas again suggested Mark as a traveling companion, but Paul flatly refused. As a result, the team was divided. Barnabas took Mark with him, and Paul chose Silas. Barnabas was patient with Mark, and the young man repaid his investment. Paul and Mark were later reunited and the older apostle became a close friend of the young disciple . . .
. . . Barnabas played a key role in Mark's life. He stood beside the young man despite his failure, giving him patient encouragement. Mark challenges us to learn from our mistakes and appreciate the patience of others. Is there a Barnabas in your life you need to thank for his or her encouragement to you?"
I really loved reading that explanation, because it explained a little better the decision of both Paul and Barnabas to part ways, and it gave such a happy ending to the whole story.
Paul didn't want John mark to come because he had proved himself unreliable before (Acts 13:13). I always assumed Paul was right, Barnabas was wrong, and John Mark must not have been a very good guy. But after reading this commentary, I was able to see the story in a new light.
Paul had good reason to be hesitant about bringing John Mark - he had left them on their first journey (Acts 13:13). Barnabas saw Mark's potential - he wanted to be an encouragement to Mark by giving him another chance and helping him to grow, and that's why he was so insistent on bringing Mark. Mark wasn't a "bad guy", but just a young Christian who needed some encouragement and a second chance.
I liked reading about this, because it made me realize that neither of them was necessarily wrong in the argument - Paul had a good reason for not wanting Mark to come, and Barnabas had a good reason for wanting him to come. And a good thing came out of their decision to split - not only were they able to spread the gospel to two different parts of the world, instead of just one, but Mark was encouraged and grew through being allowed to go on the journey. Paul comments later on how Mark became helpful to him in his ministry (2 Timothy 4:11), even calling him "my son Mark" (1 Peter 5:13).
This wasn't the first time Barnabas encouraged someone. He was such an encouragement to the early church that they started to call him Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement" (his name was Joseph originally - Acts 4:36).
When Paul first became a Christian, the church in Jerusalem didn't believe that he was really a believer (Acts 9:26), which was understandable because of how he had persecuted them before. It was Barnabas who took him under his wing and introduced him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Barnabas opened the doors for Paul to be accepted in the church at Jerusalem by being an encouragement to Paul and accepting him.
The quote that I shared above about John Mark asks if you have a Barnabas in your life that you need to thank for encouraging you, and I would encourage you to do that. But I have another question for you - can you think of someone in your life to whom you could be a Barnabas?
Barnabas is one of those quiet heroes. Those who encourage others aren't in the public eye - if you choose to step out of your comfort zone and encourage someone, you probably won't be recognized for it.
We'll never know what would have happened to Paul and John Mark if Barnabas wasn't there to encourage them. And you may never know the difference you make in someone's life just by being there to lift them up when they are down, by being their Barnabas.
At least you won't know on earth - but I think there must be great rewards in Heaven for those who choose to encourage others. I hope you step out in faith and choose to be an encouragement to someone today. It could make all the difference in the world.
I was reading in the gospel of Mark about when Jesus was betrayed and arrested. And these two verses caught my eye:
"A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind."
Mark 14:51-52
I believe every verse in the Bible is in there for a reason, even the ones that don't seem to fit - we just have to figure out the reason why. So I found myself wondering who that young man was, and why it was important for him to be mentioned there.
I told Derek about that verse and my puzzlement over it, and he whipped out his Life Application Study Bible and looked it up for me. Then he told me what his footnotes said, and the story started to make more sense.
In the footnotes, it noted that Christian tradition says that the young man in those verses was Mark, the author of the gospel of Mark. He is also known by the name of John Mark.
Well, that caught my attention, because I remembered that John Mark was who Paul and Barnabas argued about when they parted ways in Acts. I never fully understood why Paul didn't want John Mark to come with them on the missionary journey, and I never understood why Barnabas was so adamant about defending him. It always seemed like such a shame to have them separate over something like that.
So Derek did a bit more digging for me and this is what his Life Application Bible had to say about John Mark:
"Mistakes are effective teachers. Their consequences have a way of making lessons painfully clear. But those who learn from their mistakes are likely to develop wisdom. John Mark was a good learner who just needed some time and encouragement.
Mark was eager to do the right thing, but he had trouble staying with a task. In his Gospel, Mark mentions a young man (probably referring to himself) who fled in such fear during Jesus' arrest that he left his clothes behind. This tendency to run was to reappear later when Paul and Barnabas took him as their assistant on their first missionary journey. At their second stop Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.
It was a decision Paul did not easily accept. In preparing for their second journey two years later, Barnabas again suggested Mark as a traveling companion, but Paul flatly refused. As a result, the team was divided. Barnabas took Mark with him, and Paul chose Silas. Barnabas was patient with Mark, and the young man repaid his investment. Paul and Mark were later reunited and the older apostle became a close friend of the young disciple . . .
. . . Barnabas played a key role in Mark's life. He stood beside the young man despite his failure, giving him patient encouragement. Mark challenges us to learn from our mistakes and appreciate the patience of others. Is there a Barnabas in your life you need to thank for his or her encouragement to you?"
I really loved reading that explanation, because it explained a little better the decision of both Paul and Barnabas to part ways, and it gave such a happy ending to the whole story.
Paul didn't want John mark to come because he had proved himself unreliable before (Acts 13:13). I always assumed Paul was right, Barnabas was wrong, and John Mark must not have been a very good guy. But after reading this commentary, I was able to see the story in a new light.
Paul had good reason to be hesitant about bringing John Mark - he had left them on their first journey (Acts 13:13). Barnabas saw Mark's potential - he wanted to be an encouragement to Mark by giving him another chance and helping him to grow, and that's why he was so insistent on bringing Mark. Mark wasn't a "bad guy", but just a young Christian who needed some encouragement and a second chance.
I liked reading about this, because it made me realize that neither of them was necessarily wrong in the argument - Paul had a good reason for not wanting Mark to come, and Barnabas had a good reason for wanting him to come. And a good thing came out of their decision to split - not only were they able to spread the gospel to two different parts of the world, instead of just one, but Mark was encouraged and grew through being allowed to go on the journey. Paul comments later on how Mark became helpful to him in his ministry (2 Timothy 4:11), even calling him "my son Mark" (1 Peter 5:13).
This wasn't the first time Barnabas encouraged someone. He was such an encouragement to the early church that they started to call him Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement" (his name was Joseph originally - Acts 4:36).
When Paul first became a Christian, the church in Jerusalem didn't believe that he was really a believer (Acts 9:26), which was understandable because of how he had persecuted them before. It was Barnabas who took him under his wing and introduced him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Barnabas opened the doors for Paul to be accepted in the church at Jerusalem by being an encouragement to Paul and accepting him.
The quote that I shared above about John Mark asks if you have a Barnabas in your life that you need to thank for encouraging you, and I would encourage you to do that. But I have another question for you - can you think of someone in your life to whom you could be a Barnabas?
Barnabas is one of those quiet heroes. Those who encourage others aren't in the public eye - if you choose to step out of your comfort zone and encourage someone, you probably won't be recognized for it.
We'll never know what would have happened to Paul and John Mark if Barnabas wasn't there to encourage them. And you may never know the difference you make in someone's life just by being there to lift them up when they are down, by being their Barnabas.
At least you won't know on earth - but I think there must be great rewards in Heaven for those who choose to encourage others. I hope you step out in faith and choose to be an encouragement to someone today. It could make all the difference in the world.
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