Do you want to know the ONE factor that can most significantly spur you on to greater levels of growth in your spiritual, occupational, educational, or relational life? Mentors!
Mentors
A mentor is someone who has already done or been doing what you want to do. From them you learn how to do it, be it, and live it. This is the way parenting works. We live as examples before our children and, for good or bad, they model after us.
When I was a little boy, I wanted to be just like my dad. I watched his mannerisms and I emulated them. I tried to walk like him, talk like him, even spit like him. We learn from watching others. We learn from mentors.
Truth is the mentoring relationship is the essence of discipleship. We learn how to live for Christ by watching people who either are walking or have walked with the Lord before we have. The Apostle Paul said to the early believers, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)
Paul was saying, I am going to live it. Now watch me and do what I do. He was mentoring them into spiritual growth.
So I ask you. Do you want to grow spiritually? Then find spiritual mentors. Do you want to go to the next level in your job? Then find mentors who have achieved what you want to achieve. Do you want to become a more loving spouse or parent? Then find mentors who have done such things well. Learn from these people.
How do I find a Mentor?
I am glad you asked!
- Find someone who is ahead of you. It is difficult to be challenged by someone less mature than yourself. Find someone who is living the kind of quality life you desire to live. Learn from them.
- Realize a mentor doesn’t have to be your best friend. True, it is wonderful when you find that person that takes you under their wing and mentors you. They spend a little time each week imparting their wisdom into your life and advising you as you determine your directions. This is rare. I have only had a few of these people in my life. But I have also had many mentors who I barely even knew and some of them didn’t know me.
- Know that your mentor doesn’t even have to be alive. I know that might surprise you at first read. But think about it. A mentor shows you how it is done, by living it for the world to see. This is what every hero of scripture did for us. Those saints of old are not living in our generation, but every time we read of their faith, courage, and even mistakes, we learn. There are many men and women that continue to inspire me and advise my path who have long since died. E.M. Bounds inspires me to be a man of deep prayer. He has been dead for over 100 years. But his power to mentor me in my prayer discipline still breathes life.
- Find mentors in your church. If you are a member of a church filled with people who want to follow Christ, you should be blessed with people from whom you can learn something. Get to know these people. Serve with these people. Pray with them. Do life with them and learn.
- Find mentors in your field. Students, do you know what you want to do after your education? Find people who are doing that and get to know them. Perhaps you are working in a particular occupation. You want to advance in the field, but are not sure how to get to the next level. Find someone who has and learn from them.
- Be humble. You can never fully benefit from a mentor unless you are humble. The people least likely to learn are people who are more concerned with looking smart rather than being smart. Don’t try to impress a mentor, humbly learn from them.
Join the Conversation: What are suggestions you have for finding and learning from mentors? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
It’s said that experience is the best teacher. Actually, other people’s experience is the best teacher. Unfortunately, listening to a mentor sometimes proves to be more difficult than finding one.
Very True. We have to humbly listen. We must be open to their insights.