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Time With My Mentor…

By July 22, 2013August 30th, 2022Devotional

I am deeply involved in a consulting job with a local client. Part of the assignment is to coach a number of people who are trying to improve their leadership skills and become more effective in leading their respective areas of the organization. Sometimes coaching can be a difficult thing. Depending on the skills and experience of each individual, coaching can take on many different forms. Sometimes it is teaching skill sets, while at other times, style is the issue for discussion. But one thing is for sure – everybody is different and no two of us react exactly the same.

I am particularly fond of one of the folks I work with. He is genuine, authentic and really a great leader in his own right. Today, we happened to be talking and he asked me an interesting question – “What event caused me to think about leadership in an entirely new light?” I thought about that question for several moments before I responded. The fact is that Janet’s and my decision for me to attend seminary was probably the event that opened the door to an entirely different level of leadership in my own life.

Oh, it didn’t come immediately, but there is no denying that my time in seminary was the most important time in my life for learning the lessons of leadership. Now I have pondered that idea in the past, but today it was front and center in my life. Because the only way we get better at something is to learn from and spend time with our mentors. When you are in seminary, it’s pretty easy to understand that I considered Christ my leadership mentor. For a number of years, I read and studied the Bible every day – learning the lessons of Jesus and trying to apply them to my life today.

It’s easy to forget those lessons, but a commitment to continue in the Word and to spend time with my “mentor” was a top priority in my life. My leadership skills blossomed and to this day, if I ever question the right way to make a decision, I turn to the lessons of Jesus. To follow that training for all those years took more discipline on my part that I have had in almost any other area of my life. But it was gratifying to openly discuss my decision to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from His teachings. I would do well to go back and continue my education – 10 years wasn’t nearly long enough…

The verse for this evening reflects God’s desire for us to persevere. We are told, in Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” I’m here to tell you that this is true – I can personally attest to it.

My encouragement this evening to suggest that you spend time the greatest mentor of all time – Jesus Christ Himself. My prayer is that you will discipline yourself to learn the individual lessons that Jesus has in store – especially for you. Then you can pour your life into others in appreciation of the things you have learned from the Master… Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…

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