Printer
Friendly page - click here
Going One-on-One |
|
AN ARTICLE ON MENTORING
by Tom Gilbert © livingthesolution.com
Why is it that the image of the strong, silent
and independent person has been presented as an admirable role
model? This rugged individualism has such strong connotations
in Western society that even as I write this, knowing in my
heart of hearts the falseness this stereotype conveys, there
is a certain part of me attracted to it. Like the moth that
circles the fire, blissfully unaware of the danger of the heat
and only intrigued by the bright light I flutter closer and
closer.
Eventually all loners get burned by the empty promises of doing
it yourself. You can’t get too far in life without the
humility to ask for help. Getting to that point is a good start,
but actually seeking the best help, is crucial to long-term
growth.
|
Passing it On
If you find good mentors in life you eventually
discover that wisdom passed on to you includes a responsibility
for you to pass it on, too. It is the ongoing chain that connects
us and keeps us flourishing.
Have you consciously entered into a mentoring relationship?
Whether conscious or not of how one person helps another in
this intimate way, we all have probably been touched by it.
Guides, sponsors, teachers, spiritual directors or gurus; they
have many names, but the commonality is a relationship that
invests and shares in your development. You grow as you apply
the lessons. The mentor, too, benefits, not just from being
the benefactor, but in continued growing and learning from the
student. It is the great economy of spirituality. In God’s
world nothing is wasted.
Free your mind from the impression of a mentor as only a business
or academic guru. True mentors are interested completely in
their protégés. The special relationship means
going beyond the surface and building a relationship that is
specific, caring, empathetic and challenging. Look at what the
gospels tell us of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus was often
challenging, just as often encouraging.
|
Held Accountable
A key aspect of mentoring is accountability.
We all come up with good ideas, insights, inspiration and motives.
How do we see them through? Someone to report our progress and
our setbacks to helps immensely.
A good example of mentoring in the early Christian church was
by a Cypriot named Joseph. Two of the people he mentored had
a profound effect on the world and the church. One was the author
of the second gospel, John Mark; the other a writer of over
one third of the New Testament, the apostle Paul. Both were
mentored by the same man. His Greek name means “encourager”.
Do you know who he was?
The man who played such a prominent mentoring role was Barnabas.
This disciple was frequently mentioned in the Book of Acts and
was instrumental in the early church at Antioch, where the believers
were first called Christians (). Several times he is mentioned in partnership
with Paul in their teaching and witnessing. His influence must
have been profound on both Mark and Paul. Yes, Barnabas is the
Joseph of Cypriot. One of the signs of a good mentor is the
significant accomplishments of the people they help. I imagine
Barnabas also had a powerful mentor.
We know that the apostle Paul also mentored others. The one
we are most familiar with is Timothy. Paul took this young man
under his wing and helped him grow spiritually. The Paul/Timothy
relationship is often used as a model of disciple training.
Study the two letters to Timothy to learn more.
|
It’s Not Too Late to Begin
If you’ve never been in a mentoring
relationship it is never too late. The typical image of mentoring
is an older, wiser sage showing the ropes to a young person.
Nothing wrong with that – what a wonderful vision that
as many young people as possible be mentored by those who have
real world life experiences to pass on. But, anyone can benefit
from being either the mentor or the mentee.
Prayerfully consider if God is putting a call on your heart
to get involved in mentoring. Spend some time jotting down some
of the things you’ve learned (or want to learn) and consider
how beneficial it would be to spend some quality one-on-one
time with another. You know the saying, “when the student
is ready the teacher will appear”. I’m sure that
works the other way, too. Many a “teacher” should
prepare themselves for the extremely rewarding experience of
passing on some encouragement, inspiration, knowledge and true
examples of real Christian living.
Other resources:
See the Living the Solution online store special
section on mentoring.
Also:
Mentoring
– A Worldwide Christian Mentoring Ministry
National
Mentoring Partnership Lots of information
on mentoring
|
Scripture taken
from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright
© 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International
Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for
the offering of goods or services requires the prior written
consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring
Others Into Spiritual Maturity And Leadership
By Dennis McCallum
Now
On Sale
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
