Running Naked

Very few of us enjoy being embarrassed. It would be mortifying to have a humiliating experience recorded in the best selling book of all time. We have just such an event in the 14^th chapter of the Gospel of Mark. Young John Mark, the book’s author, is a follower of Jesus Christ, not one of the twelve apostles, but a follower that desired to be close to Jesus. I imagine that on the night Jesus was arrested, Mark was getting ready for bed when someone burst into his room to say that Jesus has been arrested. In a state of undress, he wrapped himself in the nearest garment he could find and ran out the door. Upon catching up with the procession leading Jesus to Jerusalem, Mark followed from the shadows. However, he was spotted and seized by his clothes. Terrified, he ran leaving his all his clothing behind. There he is, running naked and scared, recorded for all to read in the most published book in all of history.

That is bad enough, but running scared became a habit for this young man. Mark was invited to join the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on a journey to share the Truth of the risen Savior. In the midst of what God was doing through this missionary team, it was still a demanding venture. Mark ran again. Paul labeled him a quitter (Acts 15:38). Again, this has been read by multitudes on the pages of Scripture.

Before you think that I am running down this young man and piling on more humiliation, I must admit that I have often felt like Mark. My brokenness and failures, though not so public, scream in my mind, “You’re done! You’re through! Give up!” I find myself running naked and bare under the weight of my failures. Yet, Mark’s story does not end here (Thanks be to God!). Paul labeled him a quitter; Barnabas insisted that he saw God’s hand on this young man. The conflict resulted in Paul and Barnabas going their separate ways. Barnabas pursued Mark (Acts 15:39).

Born Joses, he was given the nickname, Barnabas, by those who observed his passion to build up those who felt their brokenness deeply. Barnabas means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). I don’t believe that Barnabas coddled Mark by overlooking his failures. After all, God did not overlook my sin and failures. He covered them through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Mark found confidence, not in himself, but in the One who redeemed him. Barnabas modeled that dependence to this shattered young man.

The impact of the example and encouragement of Barnabas is also recorded in Scripture. Years later, the Apostle Paul finds himself in a cold prison and very lonely. Listen to Paul’s plea to Timothy, “Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” Another runner! However, Paul continues, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” The quitter is now useful! The broken one is now an instrument in the Hands of God to minister alongside Paul.

I believe that Paul learned from Barnabas the power of encouragement.  He writes, “therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (I Thessalonians 5:11). I believe that recognizing our own brokenness allows us to be better encouragers. On any given day within the Body of Christ, I can be the one needing encouragement, feeling the weight of my brokenness or be the one offering the encouragement. Because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, there is hope and you are useful.