Agree to Disagree

The 2003-04 college football season has ended. So who is the best team in the country? USC and LSU both ended the season with only one loss and ranked No. 1 in the AP and coaches polls, respectively. Should there be a playoff system for Division I college football? Because these two teams will not get a shot to decide the national championship on the field, these debates will go on for a long, long time.

In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas were making plans to take a second missionary journey to visit the churches they had established in their first journey. A debate arose when Barnabas wanted Mark to join them, "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" (Acts 15:38). Paul and Barnabas decided to go their separate ways, agreeing to disagree. Later, Paul speaks well of Barnabas (1 Corinthians 9:6) and even welcomed Mark in his ministry to the Gentiles (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24).

In athletics, we will always have rules and rulings that we disagree with. It is important that we first look rationally at the situation from the other side. If we still disagree, then we should be respectful of the opposing viewpoints and move on. We gain nothing by harboring hatred and resentment toward those who disagree with our views. Sometimes it is best to just agree to disagree.

When we face a disagreement let's not resent those who disagree with us, but rather handle the situation like Paul did with Barnabas by showing respect and accepting the person.