By Bob and Debby Gass
‘Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”’ Matthew 4:19 NKJV
Most people who decide to grow personally find their first mentors in the pages of books. That is a great place to start. For that matter, it’s a great place to continue. And the wisdom that’s found in Scripture makes the Bible the best mentor’s manual ever written. If you are not reading it daily, you are robbing yourself of the greatest source of inspiration and illumination. And at some point, if you’re wise, you will also look for a role model to mentor you. No matter how gifted and experienced you are, you will go further with the right mentor than you will on your own.
Jesus, the greatest mentor of all, discipled a group of men who changed the world forever. ‘And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him’ (Matthew 4:18-22 NKJV).
Note the words ‘Follow Me, and I will make you …’. Just as the right mentor can make you, the wrong mentor can break you. So, you need to pray about this. Then you must do something about it. Why? Because if you follow only yourself, you may find yourself going in circles and getting nowhere.
SoulFood: Lev 16 Lev 23:26-32 Heb 9:1-14 Heb 13:11-16
Find a mentor (2)
‘Let me teach you.’ Matthew 11:29 NLT
Jesus said, ‘… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18 KJV). When Jesus spoke those words, the religious leaders of His day were plotting His death, the society in which He lived was controlled by the might of Rome, and His followers were common people. Humanly speaking, what He promised was audacious, and the possibilities of it happening were zero. Nevertheless, it came to pass. Two thousand years later, He is the most quoted author in the world, and many of our values are based on the principles He taught. How did He do it? By mentoring others.
So, when looking for a mentor, try to find someone who exemplifies the qualities and character Jesus displayed. ‘Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light”’ (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT).
Jesus used an agricultural illustration His listeners would understand. To get the highest productivity out of an ox, the yoke around its neck had to be a comfortable fit. A good mentor is someone who understands you and knows what the right fit is for your temperament and talents. A mentor is an extra pair of eyes and ears and someone who always has your best interests at heart. When you think about it, having the right mentor is one of the best investments you can make in your future.
SoulFood: Heb 11:22 Gen 41:1-39 Gen 45:1-11 Gen 50:15-26
Find a mentor (3)
‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
Your mentor should not only demonstrate professional excellence and possess skills from which you can learn but must also be someone who displays character qualities worth imitating. Bernie Madoff was one of the most admired and sought-after brokers on Wall Street. That is until he ended up in prison for perpetrating a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that devastated the lives of individuals, companies, and even governments. Numerous actors, athletes, political leaders, and business executives today attempt to deny their position as role models when people are already following them and imitating their conduct. They would like people to distinguish between their personal behaviour and their professional life, but such separation cannot really be made.
As you search for role models and mentors, examine their personal lives as thoroughly as their public performance. Your values will be shaped by theirs, so don’t be casual or careless about whom you decide to follow. Paul writes, ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.’ (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV). You must be sure that the person in whose footsteps you are following is following in the footsteps of Christ.
Why is this so important? Because there will be an audit! Whatever you have spent your life building will be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ, and you will be rewarded accordingly. ‘…each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire’ (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NKJV).
SoulFood: Exo 22-24 John 3:1-21 Ps 89:1-14 Pro 26:17-19
Find a mentor (4)
‘I have called you friends.’ John 15:15 NKJV
The mentors you choose must be available to you. Jesus told those He mentored, ‘No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you’ (John 15:15 NKJV). You need time with your mentor, asking and learning from questions and answers.
American author Dr John Maxwell writes: ‘The greatest piece of advice I can give in the area of availability is that when you are looking for a mentor, don’t shoot too high too soon. If you are considering going into politics for the first time, you don’t need the advice of the president of the United States. If you are a high school student thinking about learning to play the cello, you don’t need to be mentored by Yo-Yo Ma. If you’re just starting your career, don’t expect to get extensive mentoring time from the CEO of your organisation. Why shouldn’t I? you may be thinking.
First of all, if you’re just starting out, nearly all of your questions can be answered by someone two or three levels ahead of you (not ten). Their answers will be fresh because they will have recently dealt with the issues you’re dealing with. Second, CEOs need to be spending their time answering the questions of the people who are on the verge of learning at their level. I’m not saying you should never go to the top. I’m saying spend the majority of your time being mentored by people who are available, willing, and suited for the stage of your career.’
SoulFood: Exo 25-27 John 3:22-36 Ps 89:15-37 Pro 26:20-22
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024
