Paul spelled out mentoring as his leadership model very simply. “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” (I Cor. 11:1) “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice.” (Phil. 4:9) In other words, “let me mentor you. Let me be your role model.” Don’t worry this is not an appeal for Project Gradation to be a mentor…it is an appeal for you to recognize that as a Christian, you are already a mentor. You are modeling behavior. It‘s also one anothering and its important. There are times in relationships that we have when we are the mentor and when we are the mentee. When being the mentor, we have to know that we are sometimes the only light in a dark situation. We are mentoring all day when we have newer Christians around or those who do not yet believe. What are we showing and telling with our lives?
In the bible, not only Jesus and the apostles, but elders as well do their work by mentoring. Peter charged, “be examples to the flock.” (I Pet. 5:4) And Paul explains to the elders at Ephesus, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you”(Acts 20:17). So that charge comes back to us today to make sure we are not being weak modeling for the weak. If we are the one in the position to give direction, we can’t be all out on Tim-buck-two Highway trying to pull up GPS without a signal. We should know enough to guide our way to the right road.
We are not perfect. Mentoring is not about being perfect or modeling perfection. It’s about modeling how to lean on a perfect Christ. Mentees (the official and unofficial ones you don’t even know about that are watching you) just want to see how to grow when you don’t get it right. What is your response when things don’t work out? It is simply modeling that behavior In your model house in the neighborhood you have folk coming by today. Let them see that SHINE. Never know who needs it. Be encouraged today!