Called To Mentor

April 27th, 2009

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A call to Mentor

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Great subject but what is a mentor? Mentoring is when someone who has "been

there, done that" takes someone who is "getting there, doing that" under

their wings. Let me repeat that. Mentoring is when someone who has

"been there, done that"

takes someone who is "getting there, doing that" under their wings.

I define mentoring this way for two reasons. First, mentoring isn't as much about age as it is about experience. As Barnabas mentored Paul, the two men very well could have been similar in age but Barnabas had the experience with a relationship with God that Paul didn't have. Second, often when we think about being a mentor, people are very quick to discredit themselves because they haven't "lived a good enough life."

In reality though, it is often the people who have made the most mistakes that have

the most to offer in a mentoring relationship. Again, Paul is a great example of this seeing that before he became a Christian, he killed Christians for a living. If Paul

can be a mentor, pretty much anyone can.

I had the most wonderful mentor growing into adulthood. I have been thinking alot about her

in preparing for this class. She mentored me during one of the most horrible time of my

teenage years. I would go see her, and she always had a word that would encourage me.

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Now That Is A Good Mentor

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I took a class via computer and telephone. The home office for the class was New Your City. During this class I had a mentor who before me had taken the class and was to offer me guidence and answer my questions.

I received a call from her, she was very short and said, "I my name is Judy and if you have any questions call me. Her is my number". That was the last I heard from her and she was so abrupt that I did not call her.

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Now That Is A Bad Mentor

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I was asked to be a mentor for the next class. I was determined to show the teachers of the

class what a mentor should be like.

I received a reputation for being one of the best big sisters (mentor). Everyone wanted me to be their big sister. Students for this glass were from all over the US and Europe. I made life time friends.

I had this little sister from Reno, Na. She was loved by everyone encluding me. She was one of the most giving person I have ever meet. She would call NY for counceling paying $400.00

for a thirty minute session. Money was not a problem for her. She was high up in Reno

governmant. She would call NY for a session and they would tell her one thing. She would call another day and they told her something different.

She would call me so confused and up set at herself for paying all of this money when I was giving her better advice.

I received a call from her one day asking "If I would fly to Reno and spend several days with her,

she would pay for everything."

I was so excited, I was going to Reno, and see this wonderful sister that I love so dearly.

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She meet me at the airport, and off we were going to have a wonder few day of fun.

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I THOUGHT

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We were driving to California. We stopped at the grocery store and she bought a large bunch of grapes. I did not think anything of it.

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The first thing I wanted to do was put my toes in the Pacific Ocean. I saw she had the grapes.

"What are the grapes for, I asked."

"You never go to the gods with out offering a peace offering, she said."

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OH! WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO?

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She explained and taught me how to offer the grapes to the gods of the ocean.

She broke off a group of grapes and sent praise to the god.

She then offered them to me for me to send praise to the god.

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I swalled hard, took the grapes and said. "IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND

IN THE POWER OF HIS BLOOD I OFFER THESE GRAPES AS A PRAISE

OFFERING."

We took turns and continued this ritual untill all the grapes were gone.

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We walked back to the hotel in silence. Her to her room, me to mine.

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Two hours later we went down to dinner. She asked, "me too explain to her

just what I was doing on the beach. She had heard of Jesus and knew he was

a teacher but that was all she knew."

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I explained the plan of Salvation. She was amazed and said, "She had never read the

Bible."

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She then shocked me. "I am a witch of the highest order, we do not believe in this

Jesus. We believe in mother earth, and the god of the ocean, and the god of trees

I know there is recarnation, beacause I have lived before. I believe you and I were

catholic sisters in Ireland in another life."

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I looked in her eyes, and with the power of the Holy Spirit said to her, "that she needed to repent,

and turn from satan." She said, "And if I do not what will happen to me?"

I simply stated, "You will not go to heaven!"

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There is much more to this story but for time sake I will stop with that.

I will add however she did not repent on this trip.

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I came home, and when Larry picked me up at the airport. I told him. "You are looking

at a modern day Paul."

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He wanted to know if I was afraid with my encounter with the witch. I was able to honestly

say, "No I was not afraid." I am glad she had the gospel preached to her. It may be her

only chance.

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Having a mentor and being a mentor is very important in my life.

The challenge to us today is to prayerfully consider the two questions of.

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How can we mentor in ways that are pleasing to God?

How can we be sure the word of God is not maligned in the way we mentor and learn?

For more wonderful examples of mentoring come join with us

AT THE WELL