Are You Reliable? Good News by Vic Dove

So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army.”

1 Samuel 26:6

When we are reliable, others know they can depend on us. They know that we will make the effort to do our best, whatever the situation might be. They have learned to count on our consistency and trustworthiness. We will still be there making the effort to do our best long after the weaker ones have faded. Reliability earns the respect of those around us.

Barnabas was a reliable member of The New Testament team both as a prophet and as an apostle. He was not flashy, but he made those around him better. His very name means “son of encouragement.”

If someone was struggling, Barnabas was on it. You could count on it. He was Mr. Reliable and it did not matter who got the credit. Barnabas specialized in underdogs. He seemed to relish upon restoring high-powered believers, and he did not mind when his projects went on to rise above him in notoriety or influence. Why do I say that? Well, his first major project was Saul whom would later become The Apostle Paul. Barnabas’ next project was a man named John Mark, who would go on to write one of the Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some shoot wounded eagles, but Barnabas would bind up their hurts and help them soar.

Paul and Barnabas went on their first missionary trip. They chose John Mark to accompany them, but the younger man bailed out at the first sign of trouble. Three years later, as they prepared for the second missionary trip, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark, but Paul would not take on the risk of him quitting again. However, Barnabas cared more about John Mark than the mission trip. As a result, Paul took Silas and changed the world; Barnabas took John Mark to Cyprus and changed John Mark. After that, Barnabas is not mentioned again.

The story of Barnabas and John Mark illustrates the two opposite extremes of reliability. Barnabas was strong and dependable; John Mark was fickle and fly-by-night. However, thanks to Barnabas, John Mark became so reliable that he served as an evangelist and was given the responsibility of writing one of the four Gospels of the New Testament.

Barnabas did not give up on John Mark. Mr. Reliable invested the latter part of his life into a loser in whom he saw the potential of greatness. Barnabas became a nobody to make another nobody somebody. Whether God calls you to discipleship (like Barnabas), missions (like Paul), or evangelism (like John Mark), can he count on you? Can you be relied upon to do your part to fulfill your calling, including backing out of the spotlight if it is required?

 

Shoulder to Shoulder

Bro. Vic