We talked about Mrs Elkanah last week. She's been on my mind for a while. I then started wondering if she had a mentor? Did or didn't she see the need for one? Would that account for how her sons ended up badly?
Let's take a few steps back: "Who's a mentor?"
Encarta defines a mentor as: "experienced adviser and supporter: somebody, usually older and more experienced, who advises and guides a younger, less experienced person."* Note that this definition has no restrictions...it doesn't say the mentor should be for only marriage, ministry, money or career matters - which means you can have one for all areas of life or different ones for each area.
I used to (and still) believe in a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) life. However, I have found that God has graciously provided me with help along the way. A long time ago, I heard very profound advice: "Learn from the mistakes of others because you won't live long enough to make them all yourself." I'm not sure who this is attributed to but it's one piece of advice that I've held close to my heart.
The point is, we have the opportunity to learn from people's successes as well as from their failures. Sometimes it is helpful to reach out to such people for advice on how to either follow in their footsteps to succeed (& remain successful) or identify (& learn from) their mis-steps (& the consequences) and avoid them.
Mrs S. Elkanah had 2 such people around her - her successful Mother-in-Law (Hannah) and her fellow "Mrs Prophet" (Mrs Eli) whose sons didn't turn out right.
God expects us to have/be mentors and more importantly role models - "Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble, So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and their children," (Tit 2:3-4 - Amplified)
Marsha Blackburn, a US Congresswoman, said: "Everyone has a transferable commodity-knowledge. Sharing your unique expertise and making introductions for someone creates a lasting legacy." So, without a doubt, that includes you & I...
Indeed, we all have something to give (and even receive from) others...KEYS to share based on our (or their) Knowledge, Experience, You-niqueness and Skills. At one of the Women's Empowerment Conferences I attended a few months ago, when asked how many mentors we should we have, one of the speakers said: "if possible have a board of mentors." The point is you can never get too much good advice...once it is aligned with the Word of God and God's plan and purpose for your life which you must know for yourself (that's what make you "You-nique" - the all-important "You-factor").
If you don't already have one, I recommend you prayerfully seek out a mentor &/or role model - there is a difference. Having said that, it does not mean that without either or both you will not succeed - it may just help you make fewer mistakes on your way up to success in life...and be all God wants you to be which includes helping others become all God wants them to be too. 
No comments:
Post a Comment