One of the most dangerous ideals our society has pushed on us is that of a “self-made” success. We praise those who seem to have gotten where they are on their own and against all odds.
But the truth is there is no such thing as self-made. As my dad often says, when you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there on his own! Anyone who achieves anything significant has experienced the value of mentorship in their lives.
This is not only true today; it has been true since the beginning. We see it in Scripture through relationships like Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18 and Paul and Timothy in 1 and 2 Timothy.
These relationships show us that true mentors are guides—not those who replace God’s leadership, but those who help us walk His way faster and with fewer headaches!
Here’s how we can all make the most of mentorship.
First, we can pray and pursue. God cares about who we connect our lives to—and this includes our mentors. It’s why Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” If we’ll pray about who God wants to mentor us, He will show us. Then, we can confidently pursue a mentorship with them.
Next, we can ready ourselves. We can live with humility, accepting input from our mentors. We can remain coachable to their correction and accountable to any discipline they bring into our lives.
We should also submit and strive. We should submit to our mentor’s plan for improvement and strive to get better at it every day. Now, I know what you might be thinking. “Michael, I thought that as Christians, we aren’t supposed to strive.” In one sense, you’re right. We aren’t supposed to strive for grace, but we are supposed to strive from it.
As believers, we should respond to God’s great love by striving to live more like He wants us to. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:10, “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people…”
It’s only once we allow mentorship to work consistently in our lives that we’ll arrive at the final (and most fun) step—mentoring others. Paul encouraged Timothy to share what he had learned from him in 2 Timothy 2:2 (NASB): “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Friends, life was never meant to be lived on our own or for ourselves. God wants us to work together to become all He wants us to be and to do all He wants us to do for His kingdom. This is how lives and legacies remain both blessed and fruitful for generations.
God will always get blessing to you if He knows He can get it through you!
