Godly Mentors
Dawn Hennessy
What an amazing women’s conference we had this past weekend! We were challenged in many areas on how to live as heirs to the throne! One of my favorite challenges was from Titus 2: Heirs to the throne model and train others in Godly living.
Our speaker, Dianne Jago, reminded us of the challenge that scripture gives older women to teach and train the younger women. It requires older women to desire passing on their knowledge and wisdom and for the younger women to be receptive. She pointed out that no matter what age we are, there is always a younger generation that needs to be taught!
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” -Titus 2:3-5
There is so much that Dianne unpacked in this scripture, and I don’t plan to do write a whole summary of her sermon or go over each scriptural point, but I wanted to encourage us to truly take on this specific challenge. We all need to find a Godly spiritual mentor, and we all need to be that Godly spiritual mentor to someone else. Being mentored and mentoring others is such an important part of our Christian growth! Growth in God can happen on our own as we read and study scripture, but we grow so much more when we are in community with others.
Too often in our culture, we are all about “me” and not about “we”. We arrive home, pull into our garage, and walk straight inside without having conversations with our neighbors. We can order groceries or complete meals to be delivered straight to our homes. Even some of our jobs can be remote and have little human interaction.
But God intended us to be a community of believers! He wants us to serve together, encourage each other, and be a united church together.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
It is so easy to try to live on our own and not need anyone or pour ourselves into anyone. I love how our Raising Arrows group is designed! Every time we meet, we have a mix of ages at our tables, and we always have at least one older, spiritual mentor at each table. These women are devoted followers of Christ who want to be mentors. They will listen to you, encourage you, and offer Godly advice. If you don’t have someone who is a Godly mentor in your life, please go to one of these wonderful women. Raising Arrows is also a place where you might find someone who you can pour into as well. As you grow in your Christian walk, look for those to whom you can mentor as well!
One of my favorite parts of the women’s conference was the discussion time. We were put into groups and many of our groups included some of our much younger teenage girls in the church. Oh, I love to hear from our teens and see where their hearts are! I joined a group that my 12-year-old was in and didn’t honestly expect her to say much during the discussion. I was shocked!! My goodness, did she have a lot to say! I am so thankful that as her mom, I get to guide and train her, but oh am I also so thankful for the other Godly mentors in her life. I am pretty sure she talked more than I did in our group, and I know that influence and some of her wise words were because of some fabulous youth leaders who have invested time and love into her life.
As we ended with “The Blessing” song, the following words were so powerful: “May His favor be upon you and a thousand generations and your family and your children and their children and their children.”
We get to be part of God’s kingdom and pass on His knowledge! As my oldest child just gave birth to my first grandchild, this hits home even more! More than anything I want my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and continued legacies to be Christ followers! For thousands and thousands of generations, I pray they follow God with their whole hearts and lives and receive the blessings of God!
God asks us to be part of those generations of Christ followers! Be a part of where God is moving. Let your life be used to guide someone else in their spiritual walk and find someone who can guide you in your spiritual walk.
Are you more about the “me” or the “we”? If you find yourself more about the “me”, how can you change that to the “we”?
Is there someone in your life who is mentoring you?
Is there someone in your life to whom you mentor?
