Thought from the Retro Bible: Don't Stay Mad!

"36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.' 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches." -Acts 15:36-41, NIV

We don't know who was right or who was wrong in this argument between Paul and Barnabas. The Bible didn't tell us. The importance is that they didn't stay upset with each other; We can see that they were friends again in 1 Corinthians 9:6, and again in Colossians 4:10. This is the importance: despite their difference, they were brothers in Christ with the same goal. That same goal was to share the Good News of the Gospel with the world.

Are you in disagreement with someone right now? That disagreement may be affecting your ability to follow God's will, and therefore you should fix it. Your relationship is more important than the argument you are in.

This thought was paraphrased and added to from Revolution: The Study Bible for Teen Guys.