The Qualities of a Godly Mentor – Part Two
Two weeks ago, I published the first of a two-part series on the qualities of a godly mentor. This series was sparked by the passing of one of my lifelong mentors and the resulting reflection on what makes a mentor so meaningful in our lives.
In part two, I continue with my thoughts on the invaluable qualities of godly mentors.
They see and show us the greatness of God – His holiness and goodness, His grace and love.
They know us, care about us. They are invested in us personally, not just our ministry.
They remind us of the temptations in our lives and the dangers they pose.
Their life is devoted not to themselves but to the service of others.
They are farther down the road than us, and so they know the ins and outs of life’s journey.
They are concerned first not for our ministry position but our soul: they are soul shepherds.
They are modern Calebs, ever asking for the next mountain and who will go with them to seize it.
They are multipliers of Jesus.
They are keen observers of people and life, seeing beyond the surface to the heart.
They walk in the Spirit, not in showy performance, but in a confident relationship.
They remind us that doing flows from being; who we are will inevitably reveal itself in how we live.
They do not traffic in pithy quotes but in rich wisdom, hard questions, and engaging conversations.
They help us, even encourage us, to wrestle with the Gospel in our lives.
They are able to “size us up” for our place and measure our fitness for our journey. They see us as we are, neither too high nor too low.
They remind us of our Jeremiah 1.5 creation and who God made us to be.
Their qualification is not a certificate or degree but a life well-lived.
They are careful listeners, hearing not only what we say but sensing our tone, the silent spaces between our words.
They insist we name the idols in our lives and destroy them in the light of the glorious God who alone is worthy of our worship and submission.
They are goldmines of godly wisdom and holy order.
Their Bibles are covered in creases, not dust.
They ask us how much truth we want in our lives and just how free do we want to be?
They help us live in our today even as they see all the potential of our tomorrow.
They listen to the Holy Spirit even as they listen to us, ready but never rushed to share with us what the Spirit would speak.
They are passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. All for Jesus, they surrender joyfully to Him daily.
They are patient with our egos, mistakes, bad attitudes, claims to knowledge we do not yet possess, careerism, insecurities, and stubbornness.
They serve us by making us wrestle with difficult questions and seemingly impossible challenges. Their provoking puts muscle on our soul.
They call us to invest our lives in the eternal and essential rather than spend them on the merely urgent and immediate.
They help us face life’s realities while keeping planted in the promises of God and the God of promise.
They search the hidden parts of our lives, the corners, and crevices we want to bring into the light but are afraid to do so.
They know when to be subtle and when to be direct.
They insist we look at life not through the lens of self but through the lens of the Gospel.
They reprove, rebuke, and exhort with patience and teaching. (II Timothy 4.2)
In their lives and words, they call us to line up our lives with the Word of God, the God of the Word.
They are living maps to Jesus and how to navigate life in Him.
Their home is the secret place alone with God in silence, the Word, and prayer. Their lives in the secret place call us there to Him.
They remind us that our service is first unto God, not people, not even the people of God.
They pray with us. Not as an introduction or conclusion to our time together, but as an essential part of our three-way conversation.
They model a healthy lifestyle. They live God’s Sabbath Life.
They fight hard to keep us walking with others; they reign in Lone Rangers.
Their minds have been transformed by years in the Word of God and prayer.
They are humble before God and people; they strive to see themselves as God sees them.
They keep their word. They honor their commitments. Period. No excuses.
They call us to follow Christ at all costs, to lay aside every sin and weight, every trophy and success, every failure and defeat to focus on this one thing: follow the crucified and risen Savior.
They have no love for the things of this world.
They take infinite joy is us.
They are lifelong learners, forever students ever learning.
They are marathoners, not sprinters, in the race God has set before them. Others may shine more brightly for a season, but their interest is not in temporal glory, only the eternal “Well done” of their Lord and Master.
They help us examine our thoughts and ways of thinking.
They don’t have to tell us God is leading them or speaking to them.
They have no desire or design to form us in their image but only and always in Christ.
They refuse to be our substitute Savior or Lord. They constantly direct us to Jesus.
They recognize our Jeremiah 1.5 creation and call, and live to them flourish to full maturity for the glory of God, the good of His people, and the salvation of those yet far from Him.
They are the pen; God is the story.
Their leadership flows out of their person; their doing flows out of their being.
They are willing to confront selfishness and sin so that nothing keeps us from fully knowing and living in Christ.
As Augustine wrote, they attract us by their way of life. They make us want to not only know the words but to sing the song of life in Christ.
They keep us focused on our Christ-given mission to make disciples of all nations, beginning in our churches and extending to the ends of the earth.
They teach us to look for and recognize the hand of God in the story of our life.
They constantly remind us that all of life is a God-given trust, a stewardship of time and talent, relationships and resources, mandate and mission.
They insist we pay the price required, that sacrifice be our friend and not our foe.
They are rich in discernment and understanding.
They have known failure and are unafraid to share their experiences with us.
They make time for us.
They have no thought of personal gain or advancement. Their objective is the glory of God and our growth in God.
They have one foot firmly planted in the world to come even as the other is firmly set in this world.
They do not drive us but invite us. Their call is to dig deeper and rise higher in a journey with God we would not and could not find on our own.
They are safe spaces. Never tame, but always safe.
Their lives are marked by caring and commitment. They are for us not because it is their job description but because it is their heart.
They teach us that to serve is to reign; it is our privilege to serve in the household of God.
We can follow them for they follow Christ; their words and lives show us The Way.
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