Be and Have a Mentor

Deuteronomy 34:9

Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.

Psalm 71:18

Even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalm 145:4

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Philippians 3:17

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

Colossians 3:16a

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom...

1 Thessalonians 2:8

Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

2 Timothy 2:2

What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

David Roper "Our Daily Bread"

According to Homer's Odyssey, when King Odysseus went off to fight in the Trojan war, he left his son Telemachus in the hands of a wise old man named Mentor. Mentor was charged with the task of teaching the young man wisdom.

More than 2,000 years after Homer, a French scholar and theologian by the name of François Fénelon adapted the story of Telemachus in a novel titled Télémaque. In it he enlarged the character of Mentor. The word mentor soon came to mean "a wise and responsible tutor"—an experienced person who advises, guides, teaches, inspires, challenges, corrects, and serves as a model.

2 Timothy 2:2 describes spiritual mentoring, and the Bible gives us many examples. Timothy had Paul; Mark had Barnabas; Joshua had Moses; Elisha had Elijah.

But what about today? Who will love and work with new Christians and help them grow spiritually strong? Who will encourage, guide, and model the truth for them? Who will call young believers to accountability and work with God to help mold their character?

Will you become one whom God can use to impart wisdom and to help others grow toward maturity?

Matthew Henry

Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, or else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the other.

CAUTION I

A.W. Tozer The Warfare of the Spirit

Be meek enough to learn from the lowly and wise enough to learn from the enlightened. Be quick to profit by the experiences of others and stay alert to the voice of wisdom from whatever direction it may sound. You must search for spiritual (wisdom) where it is most likely to be found, which is among those Christians who are the most consecrated, the most prayerful, and the most experienced. (But) never let anyone become necessary to you. Apart from the inspired writers of Holy Scriptures no man is worthy of such confidence. The sweetest saint can be mistaken.

Let anyone become spiritually indispensable to us and we have deserted the Rock to build on shifting sand.

The goal of mentoring...is not to develop personal followers, but followers of Christ.

CAUTION II Acts 9:25 Principle

At the beginning, be encouraging and hold tightly;

In the middle, be sure the disciple is looking to Jesus, and not you;

Then know when to let go...with a blessing.