Father, the Scriptures, filled with principles and doctrine, come alive when applied to everyday life. We see this when reading the positive and negative examples of Bible characters and the way they handled everyday disappointment and conflict in their lives. Though Paul and Barnabas were in sharp disagreement they surely both made important points regarding the merit of John Mark’s qualifications. Help us to exercise the gift of disagreeing a point without being a disagreeable person. Instead of slandering an individual(s) help us to respect differing views when the answer isn’t clearly laid out in Scripture. As we prayerfully discuss our differences and remain respectful toward one another we will be bound all together in perfect unity, bearing with each other and forgiving the one we have a grievance against. We will forgive as You have forgiven us. And over these virtues we will put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Amen