My Life and My Witness

August 21, 2025

We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT

Paul was extraordinarily effective in sharing the Good News of the Gospel and seeing people turn to faith in Christ because he wasn’t simply sharing sterile knowledge or a formula for life. He shared his own life with them, developing personal relationships that allowed those around him to judge the credibility of the message by his own life. Authentically allowing truth in advertising to flourish.

He wasn’t the first. That’s what Jesus did too. Mark records (3:13) that when Jesus chose disciples, He called them to “be with Him.” That’s what happened. They developed close friendships. They shared meals, traveled, worked together, prayed together, worshipped together, fished together. Jesus shared His personal life with them. He invested Himself in them. They came to follow Him and knew what He said so clearly that they were eventually willing to die for Him. But before their deaths, they followed His example and invested their own lives and personal time in others, and the Gospel spread along these relational lines.

Mark himself was significantly won and mentored through a couple of men who invested their lives in him. He was a cousin of Barnabas, and early on was known as John Mark. Barnabas initially brought John Mark with him to accompany Paul on their first missionary journey, providing guidance and support. Paul and Barnabas disagreed over Mark’s responsibility, and Mark left the group. However, Barnabas continued to mentor him, nurturing Mark’s potential. Mark eventually became a great asset to the church because Barnabas was committed to investing himself, even giving second chances to someone who at first didn’t seem to be committed enough.

Peter developed a close relationship with Mark as well. According to Peter’s own words in 1 Peter 5:13, Mark became like a son to him. As a close friend and mentee in Peter’s life, Mark became the man who wrote the Gospel of Mark, a reliable eyewitness record of the words and ministry of Jesus as told to him by Peter. Jesus-followers throughout the world, ever since the early church, have benefitted immeasurably because Barnabas and Peter were both willing to invest in a young man named Mark who originally seemed to have little impressive to offer.

Look around your circle of acquaintances. Who might be an unexpected major world changer, just waiting for someone to invest their life and time in him or her?

• Jesus called you to be a difference-maker by significantly investing your one-and- only life in others – through time and love, not just words and information. Where will you start? With whom? Pray and get started.