The Pursuit of Insight Take the Right People

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:13-15

Then on the second day the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."

Insights: On Sunday I did not have time to go into this one aspect of this point, but I wish to take a few lines and do so now.  Notice with me it was the fathers along with the priests and Levites who came to Ezra.  Fathers have a major role to play in the dispensing of insight to their families.  It is my personal belief that the nature of our churches and society is directly linked to fatherless society so endemic of America.  These three groups of men needed the right person to invest in their lives.  Ezra was such a man.  He taught them the Word of God and mentored for them the ways of God.  Beloved, we need both sides of this mentoring process.  In other words, we need individuals in our lives that are more mature in their faith to invest into our lives.  At the same time, we need to take the insights we have gained from our mentor and invest those truths into someone less mature in their faith than we are.  In many ways this cycle is the downfall of the church of America.  We call this process discipleship and we have become so program and number oriented that we get someone to “pray a prayer” of salvation and then let them flounder into inactivity or eventually drop out of church.  We do not take personal responsibility for these babies in Christ who desperately need someone to come alongside them and mentor them into the ways of Jesus.  Beloved, let me encourage you to find a mentor if you don’t have one.  Just be bold enough to come to someone you highly respect and recognize God’s hand on his/her life and ask them to spend time with you on a regular basis.  If there is someone you recognize as needing a mentor, then offer your time to them.

Questions:

1. Is there someone in your life who you consider to be your mentor presently?
2. Are you a mentor to someone?

Prayer: Father, I am so thankful for the people You have placed in my life over the years who have influenced my journey with You.  I pray I will become such a person to others as I share the insights and wisdom these individuals have bestowed upon me.  Amen.