A Chance For Change

“…Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry…”
2 Timothy 4:11

Some people can’t get past the past. They hold on to hurts and don’t drop disappointments. How they treat you today depends entirely on yesterday – a very long ago yesterday. They give you no chance for change.

Not Paul. “…Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry…” Mark? Didn’t he write one of the four gospels? Yep – Same guy. But before Mark wrote about Jesus, he walked out on Paul. It happened many years before. Paul and Barnabas were on their first mission trip, and Mark (sometimes called John Mark or just John) was traveling with them as their helper. (Acts 12:25, 13:5)

They weren’t too far into the journey when Mark couldn’t take it anymore and headed back home to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) When Paul left for his second mission trip, he refused to take Mark “because he had deserted them…and had not continued with them in the work.” (Acts 15:38)

Mark had been a deserter and quitter. An uncommitted homebody. But Mark had changed, and so had Paul. Mark grew stronger. Paul grew wiser. He gave Mark credit for the changes in his life and knew that they were now better together than apart.

Paul gave Mark a chance to change.
God gave you a chance to change.
Perhaps you should pass it on.


Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Who is someone you are not giving a chance to change?

RESPOND
What will you do today to show that person you are “past the past.”