We have to Encourage People Specifically

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:9-10

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”  He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”

Insights:  I think the modern church has truly lost the importance of mentoring younger believers in their walk with the Lord.  It is my faith presupposition best practice discipleship happens in the one on one level and there are four levels of this discipleship process.  Ken Blanchard wrote a business book titled Leadership and the One Minute Manager.  Event though this was a business book the principles Blanchard shares are true of biblical discipleship.  The first quadrant is titled delegating, but it really means observing and monitoring.  In other words, I as the mentor, do the work and the disciple watches.  The second quadrant is titled supporting.  In this level the mentor does some of the work and the disciple does some of the work with the mentor giving encouragement and suggestions.  The third quadrant is titled coaching and the disciple is doing most of the work, but the mentor is still coming in and giving advice and helping explain things.  The mentor may also make some course corrections at this point.  The final quadrant is titled directing and the mentor is really not much involved any more.  The mentor only comes by and gives guidance in course direction, but really leaves the work to the disciple.  If the process was done well, then the disciple now becomes a mentor and he/she takes another person along this growth journey.  In many ways, this cycle is what we observe in the life of Elijah and Elisha.  Elijah is getting ready in a one on one situation to send Elisha off in the fourth quadrant and allow him to become the new mentor to others.  Elijah is asking Elisha if there is anything else he can do for him to make him a better leader.  Beloved, Paul did this kind of work with Timothy, Titus and Silas to name a few.  We need to be about this kind of work.  No matter where you are in your faith journey let me encourage you to be mentored by someone and then as you have grown to mentor someone else.  Let biblical discipleship pass on from one generation to the next.

Questions:

1.  Have you ever had someone mentor you in a one on one situation?

2.  Pending on your stage of life, would you be willing to be a mentor to someone or be mentored by someone?

Prayer: Father, the godly people You have placed in my life are invaluable.  Thank You for them.  May I pass on the wisdom they have entrusted to me.  Amen.