Five Minute Friday, on the Prompt "Refine," Go!
I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be a mentor, what it means to be called in to that position by Yahweh our God. I've thought a lot lately about the special role of mentors and how throughout my own life, God placed mentors or spiritual moms (and a dad) in my own life. They never stayed forever, but they were there for a season. Some were older than my mom and others were a bit younger, age was not the issue. Rather, it was the person with the deposit that I needed, whom God positioned in my life. I am so so grateful for each and every single person who mentored me - men and women. My masters degree mentor was and is an amazing man of God, through His Life God taught me about Love, free love, selfless love. This was the love this man displayed. Through the life of the woman who was my spiritual mom for many years (she passed away three years ago), God allowed her to speak truth in to my heart in a time when I was coming out of an abusive relationship in my early twenties. I can list the beautiful gifts, teachings, understanding and deposits, a long list of people gave to me. Now however, I am thinking about my own role in the future, as a mentor. I am so blessed to know that one special woman I was blessed to mentor, has now taken such bold steps in her own life to throw herself in to God's call for her. She has abandoned comforts for mission work in deepest Africa, even without her family supporting her. For me, I have witnessed this growth and am so amazed at how deep her commitment goes. For me, sure I was placed as a mentor in her life for a time, now as a friend, but in all honesty, it's up to the person being mentored, to give it all to God. They wont become the person they are called to be without surrendering to Gor, no matter how awesome their mentor may be! And the biggest gift a mentor can offer is to be warm, and compassionate but also to be an instrument called to refine. We have to challenge, we have to push boundaries by God's prompting and we have to tell the truth. Now, as I sit these days thinking about mentors and mentorship, I wonder what the future is bringing to me in terms of other people who may need something I can give. It's exciting to think about! And not the least bit challenging!
STop! LInking with Kate M
Your words brought to mind several mentors from my own life, most who were Christians and influenced my walk with the Lord, some who were not. All who saw me and wanted to help me in some way or another. I wonder, if they knew they were mentoring me? In my own life, it seems like there have been a few who I had taken under my wing and loved on less formally. We never defined it as a mentor/mentee relationship but now looking back I can see it was, or could have been. There are others still, I hope, that maybe I have impacted in this way without ever knowing it.
ReplyDeleteAliyah, I think that's amazing you mentored a woman and saw the fruit as she followed Jesus wherever He took her. How inspiring! At times I still feel like I don't have much to give someone else: (that's silly! We all do!). Perhaps I should be looking for an opportunity to share what I know with another. Thank you for that!
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