Mentoring Series: Choosing to be one

How can I be a mentor?

I was in college when I heard a ministry regional director give a talk on mentoring and discipling. He got saved in high school by a gym rat who immediately started investing in him, getting up early so they could meet together in the mornings before school. Two weeks in, and his new friend asked him, "Who's your guy?"

Two weeks into being a believer and this guy was asked to go out and find someone to pour into.

And maybe this is a bit crazy, but here was the gym rat's logic: if you've been walking with Jesus for 2 weeks, you can share what you've learned with someone who's only been at it for a day.

What this looks like practically in our life is this: you're walking with the Lord, learning and growing, and there are girls out there who aren't as far along. They have no one pouring into them. Being a mentor isn't a rite of passage or a way to be "holier than thou." Maybe you've known the Lord for two years--come alongside a girl who's in her first year and share with her what you've learned, encourage her, and pray for her.

Choosing to be a mentor doesn't mean you have to meet regularly, or sit in coffee shops, or go through books together. It looks different for everyone (and we'll touch more on that in a later post). If you're walking with Christ, pray and ask Him if there's anyone He would put in your life for mentoring. Or if you've been approached about it, pray to seek guidance in how to go about it.

Being a mentor is a heart thing, not a title thing. You don't need to have nifty little activities prepared or a sermon ready to go. You don't have to share a drink or a meal or have a certain 'spot.' You need a prayerfully guided heart and a committed attitude.

And maybe here are a few things you can be ready for, because you'll encounter these...

Be ready to listen.

Mentoring isn't about sitting someone down and preaching at them. It is about sitting down with someone and listening to them. Their heart, their struggles, their questions, their life. You don't need to give a sermon--you just need to listen.

Be ready to learn.

You might think you're getting ready to impart some type of wisdom onto somebody else, but really, it's so true. You're going to learn so much from every girl you mentor.

Be ready to pray.

One big thing mentoring entails is prayer. Be ready to pray for the girl you're mentoring, because she needs someone in her corner lifting her up to the Lord.

Be ready to show up.

Really, one of the best ways to show people you care is to just show up. Keep showing up and showing her you care about her life, because there will be times she really needs that.

And, my friends, if you're following the Lord then you'll do just fine. :)

I hope this helped answer some questions you might've had about being a mentor! Next Monday we're talking more about this great topic, and I'm excited for you to read everything that's coming up. But for now, that's all!

Happy Monday!

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