By Hannah Cameron, LeadHer International Program Director
I remember sitting in a church service as a young teen listening to a sermon on the necessity of mentoring in the life of a Christ follower. It’s the first time I ever remember hearing much about the topic in church. The preacher conveyed his message expressing the importance of finding people in your life to fill certain roles that can be represented in biblical characters. He said everyone needs a Paul (mentor), Barnabas (accountability partner), and Timothy (someone to mentor).
Ever since, that concept has been in the back of my mind when the topic of mentoring comes up. Though I’ve always kept the message with me, I failed in the area of life application. Have I had women in my life whose faith inspired me? Absolutely. Are there friends of mine who could provide excellent accountability to me and vice versa? Of course. Have there been girls who I could have poured into and been a Godly example in their lives? Yep. The problem wasn’t a lack of options or opportunity. Was it partly due to a lack in intentionality? Yes, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about (However, Christie Love posted a wonderful blog recently about being intentional in pursuing those relationships in your life! Read here: http://leadher.org/the-great-silent-longing/).
In our LeadHer Local chapters this month, we’re focusing on the topic of mentoring. After watching our teaching video for the month and reading Christie’s blog, I was left asking myself why I did struggle so much to be intentional in seeking out those relationships. I don’t consider myself to be debilitatingly shy. I’ve already established that there have clearly been people in my life to fill those roles. It hasn’t been for lack of desire or struggle to understand the importance of these roles in my life. Then, I remembered this quote that Christie shared in our video, “Mentoring isn’t something you’re qualified to do, it’s something you’re willing to do.”
You see, for me, it wasn’t an issue of being willing. I was more than willing, but I wasn’t aware that’s all God was asking of me. I was waiting to be qualified also. I was waiting to feel qualified. I failed to realize my qualification came through the Holy Spirit. The only thing “on me” was was my willingness.
I don’t have to go through a training program to be capable of mentoring someone else. I don’t have to have “x” number of years of ministry under my belt. I don’t have to have lived for decades. I don’t have to be a “giant in the faith” to be worthy of pouring into someone else. I am worthy through the blood of Christ. His sacrifice has redeemed my soul from death, so I have a story, and there is something to be learned from my story. I have something to give. If everyone realized they have something to give, then (in theory) they’d also have someone pouring into them.
Don’t wait to feel qualified, launch a lifestyle of mentoring by first expressing your willingness to the Lord and taking advantage of the opportunities and relationships He then presents. Share your story. Give others the opportunity to grow from it. Lean into the Holy Spirit to give you the words to speak when they need spoken just as we trust Him to do in every other area of our lives!
“Mentoring is for everyone.”- Christie Love