About 30 years ago, when I was a newly minted preacher, more full of my Self than the Spirit, my Dad sent me a letter, written in longhand script, in which he basically said, "Take advantage of my experience. Fall in step and learn from me!" His mentoring steadied me, gave me practical insight, and kept me from wandering into traps of temptation. That letter still lies in the top drawer of my desk in my church office! I treasure that piece of paper, which I have read dozens of times over the years. It is a symbol of Dad's constant work of coaching the Timothys that he found in the world all around him. Through the years he spoke into the lives of many, inspiring devotion, coaching them to find and use the spiritual gifts invested in them by God. And he's still doing it!
Do you have a Timothy in tow? The allusion is to Paul and Timothy. During his travels, in the city of Lystra the apostle found a young man named Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He saw the potential in him and accepted him as a 'true son in the faith.' Intentionally, he took him along to 'show him the ropes' of ministry and then sent him out to serve. Paul's two letters to Timothy are packed full of practical insight and directions, written in a warm and fatherly tone. "I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle." (1 Timothy 1:18, The Message)
Dr. Leonard Sweet, in a book titled, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without, points out that mentoring provides a two-way benefit! Most of the time, we think of the knowledge that flows to the Timothy. However, the Timothy keeps the Paul from getting stuck in a rut, bringing fresh perspective. A person who approaches mentoring as "just shut up and do what I do," will not enjoy the full blessing that can come from having a Timothy in tow.
Believer, are you mentoring anyone? If you have been a Believer for more than a few months, if you at least 25 years of age, there is no excuse for not doing this! You don't have to be old and gray-haired to have something to offer another. You do need a living relationship with Jesus Christ, amazing amounts of patience, and the willingness to let someone walk with you. The Bible urges all Believers to reproduce themselves in others! "Every great leader and teacher has been a Timothy; Jesus apprenticed to John the Baptist; Paul of Tarsus apprenticed with Gamaliel; Elisha apprenticed to Elijah; Joshua apprenticed to Moses. But Joshua did not pass along the baton. Joshua had no spiritual heir... and then came the judges, spawning one of the most horrible times recorded in the Bible for Israel. In the Bible's scalding words, the judges became the baton-less generation "who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10, NKJV) -- 11, Sweet
Something wonderful has been largely lost in our society when we make education and life preparation largely about a formal experience in classes at institutions of learning. Timothy was not trained in a classroom by lectures. He learned in the streets, sharing Paul's life. He saw, he listened, he questioned, he tried, he failed, he learned! Nothing can substitute for seeing the work done. A musician learns theory and then sits with masters to see music made. A surgeon spends years as an intern, practicing under the watchful eye of one who has done procedures hundreds of times before. You have skills to pass along! Want to teach some to pray? Pray with them. Want to help someone know the Bible? Study with them. Want to teach your son how to change the oil in his car? Crawl under it with him! Want to help your daughter know how to manage her money? Open a checking account with her when she is 14 and work it out with her.
Much of what we do in our lives is quickly forgotten or is done better by someone who follows after us. But, when we mentor a Timothy, we do something that has eternal significance. My Dad poured his experience into me, handing me the tools of faith. In my life, I have mentored some who are now passing the faith along to those they know. And that is something that pleases my Father and changes destinies.
Go, prayerfully find a Timothy to love and lead. Encourage him to learn, to discover what God wants to do in his life. Encourage, rebuke, pick him up when he stumbles, and kick him in the behind when he lags in laziness. Don't forget to let his fresh perspective keep your own faith alive and relevant to an ever-changing world.
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