Patience, Young Grasshopper...

A mentoring relationship is beneficial in every context of your life. It can influence your personal, business and professional relationships. There is a famous proverb: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Mentorship is also a biblical model (Picture Source).

A mentor is "a wise and trusted counselor or teacher; an influential senior sponsor or supporter" (Source). A mentee is a person who is under the guidance of a mentor (Source). Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person (Source).

Probably the most famous mentor-mentee relationship I can think of is Yoda and Luke Skywalker. A close second would be Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san. What do Luke and Daniel-san have in common? They both needed direction and they sought out a relationship with an older wiser man (does Yoda fit into a “man” category?) who could guide them. Yoda was an expert in the Force and Luke needed to learn how to wield it. Daniel-san wanted to learn how to fight and he chose Mr. Miyagi as his sensei.

In the realm of fantasy and in a business model, there are many things we can learn about mentorship.

1. Being a mentor and a mentee are both active roles not passive. Daniel-san had to learn the moves by sanding, painting and washing cars before he could learn how to do karate.

2. A mentor will not give you all the answers in life but can motivate and guide you in the right direction. But remember to put your actions where your words are like Yoda did in the clip below (Video Source).

3. Humility is a key characteristic of a mentor relationship (Source). Remember that this is a relationship between two fallible people. It is okay to say “I don’t know” if you don’t know an answer, but the adventure is learning it together.

4. Communication is an asset in any relationship. A mentor-mentee relationship is no different. Everyone has a different communication style. Thomas Griffin explains, "Improving your communication strengthens relationships inside and outside the workplace" (Source). Learning how to communicate effectively is a great life skill to foster.

5. Be a good listener. When you listen well, trust is built. Edwards and Neumann explain, "A mentee is unlikely to receive your input until she feels heard and understood” (Source). Without trust in the relationship and good listening skills, your mentorship relationship will not be very effective.

What is Biblical Mentorship?

The Bible has many examples: Jethro and Moses, Elijah and Elisha, Jesus and the disciples, Paul to many people (see his letters). There are many verses about mentorship as well, including the whole chapter of Titus 2. Here are a few, this is not an exhaustive list:

Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9

Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

Going back to the Star Wars universe, Yoda taught many Jedi, including Dooku and Luke Skywalker. Luke taught many young Jedi, including Grogu, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Rey. Count Dooku, before turning to the dark side, trained Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon's padawan was Obi-Wan Kenobi, who trained Anikan Skywalker. Anikan, before turning to the dark side, trained Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka is currently training Sabine Wren, which you can watch on the Ahsoka TV series.

Practical Application

• I encourage you to seek out an older man (if you are male) or an older woman (if you are a female). Remember that the Bible is not necessarily referring to age, but to a more a mature person in the faith.

• Be intentional and active in the relationship.

• Be straight about what you want, dropping hints doesn’t work.

• Make a list of a few spiritually mature people from the older generation that you would like them to invest in your life.

• Make a list of a few people from the younger generation that you would like to invest in their lives.

• Pray over the list and allow the Holy Spirit to direct you to the person with whom He would like you to live life-on-life.

Good sources

Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Generational Disciple-Making: How Ordinary Followers of Jesus Are Transformed into Extraordinary Fishers of Men by George Robinson and Matthew Hirt

The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman

Conclusion

Jesus lived life-on-life with his disciples. If the expectations of Christians is to emulate and become more like Jesus, our relationships should be no different. There is no magical formula for a mentor-mentee relationship, these are only suggestions and ideas how to develop your own.

Are you in a mentorship relationship? What are some key suggestions or benefits you have discovered and would like to share? If you are interested in a mentorship relationship, what is hindering you from seeking one out? Do you have any questions, thoughts or comments, send a fan letter or comment below. Don't forget to subscribe to Castle in the Air to be on the short list for the next blog to drop! Just a heads up, I will not be writing a December blog. Until next time... Happy All Holidays between now and January! See you next year!

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