Saturday, April 15, 2017

Mentoring and Modeling

My dear friend is a retired pastor's wife. They served 50 years in ministry and have been slowly going through the elaborate book collection that they have acquired over that time. Last week she brought a box of them to church and I was very excited to find this fabulous book on mentoring by Dr. John Goetsch and Dr. Mark Rasmussen.

The first five sentences had me hooked.

"There is an old Chinese Proverb that says:

If you are planting for a year, plant grain.
If you are planting for a decade, plant trees.
If you are planting for a century, plant people.

As Christians, we are planting for eternity!"

I couldn't stop reading. They go on to quote Ron Lee Davis, "For all the thousands who are eager to share their knowledge and skills with others, there are just a handful who are willing to share their LIVES, who are willing to be transparent, vulnerable, and open about their successes and their failures, their joys and their pain, their faith and their doubts." 

The introduction alone left me in tears as they continue to share the story of a young boy and the teacher who became his mentor. "We seem content to impress from a distance, which is easily done, but hesitate to impact up close, which is what our Lord exemplified for us in His life and ministry." 
It made me look deep in my heart to analyze my motives and evaluate my life. Where can I do a better job mentoring? 

As I read this book, I was reminded of my last visit with my mentor, Jan Stockdale. She was in women's ministry for 11 years and continues to speak to and encourage women. She was imparting some wisdom as I was preparing for speaking and hosting a ladies retreat. She said, "By my strength I can influence you, but by my brokenness I can connect with you" and encouraged me to connect with the women.

Too many times we want to influence and impress, when what they need is to be impacted up close with a real connection.

Get connected!