Mentoring for Success

Mentoring is a crucial element in gaining a solid and rewarding education. It shapes our dreams, guides our direction, and encourages our effort. But what is mentoring? What does it accomplish?

by Bradley Penner

 

How Jesus Mentored

Jesus is the perfect example of an incredible mentor. He walked with His disciples but did not carry them. He encouraged them but did not coddle them. He challenged them but did not dictate to them. He counseled them but did not criticize them. The outcome was phenomenal. Eleven out of twelve rough, uneducated Galileans were turned into some of the most effective evangelists the world has ever known. Certainly, He had the qualities of a true mentor.

 

Mentoring in Everyday Life

But how did Jesus mentor his followers in day-to-day life? To find out, let’s examine the story of the feeding of the five thousand. When the disciples came to Him with the dilemma of feeding thousands of hungry people, He could have just performed the miracle right then. Instead Jesus asked them to feed the people! Seems ridiculous doesn’t it? But wait—by leaving the solution to the problem up to them, He was teaching them two things. First, they learned to think through and deal with a problem; and second, they learned that the key to overcoming a problem is dependency on God. Jesus was effective by teaching them practically not just in theory.

 

Dealing With the Failure of Others

The disciples were far from being perfect though. How did Jesus deal with their failures? For instance, Peter made a gigantic failure when he denied Jesus three times and ended up cursing Him in the process. It seems reasonable that Jesus would have scolded Peter or at least given him the cold shoulder but, instead, He was a mentor for more than just what seemed a correct response at that moment. Jesus kept Peter’s eternal good in mind when He responded to the disciple’s rejection.

When the disciples ate breakfast with Jesus on the beach after his resurrection, He asked Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15, KJV). Jesus was testing Peter on his greatest weakness: self-confidence. After Peter responded with, “Lord thou knowest that I love thee,” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Jesus tested his repentance and then challenged him forward in action. Jesus didn’t throw Peter out nor did He avoid the issue—He dealt with it in a positive, constructive manner.

Jesus modeled true mentorship and demonstrated what mentoring can achieve. He proves the importance of recognizing true mentoring, growing from it, and then mentoring someone else. In doing this we will become true men and women fulfilling our life’s purpose.

 

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