In it the writer, Steve May, talks about mentors and mentoring. The last statement in the article is the most important. I have highlighted it in RED.
One thing successful people have in common is the custom of consulting mentors. It's one reason why they're successful. According to Ellen Eshner, a professor in the business school at Loyola Marymount, research indicates that people who use mentors are more successful than those who don't. They get more promotions, they earn more money, and they enjoy their jobs more, she says.
There are examples of the mentoring relationship in Scripture: Elijah and Elisha, for one. Paul and Timothy, for another. God's plan is that we learn to master the basics of the Christian life by following good examples ... until we become examples, too. This is why Paul said...You became imitators of us and of the Lord ... and so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7)
WHO DO YOU IMITATE? The answer to the biggest problems you face is out there, stored in the wisdom bank of someone you know. Or someone you need to make it a point to know. Give some thought this week to whose advice you're taking and whose example you're following. God's plan is that we learn from one another. Dare to choose the best people possible to give you leadership.
If you currently don't have a mentor, here are some steps you can take each day this week to get started.
Monday. Make a list of one to three people who excel in areas in which you wish to excel.
Tuesday. Contact them – send an email or make a phone call – asking if they are willing to invest in your life. If they agree, set an appointment.
Wednesday. Make a list of five questions your mentor can answer to help you get started on the track to personal and spiritual growth.
Thursday. Decide today what you are willing to put into the mentoring relationship. We are called to serve one another; give some thought to what you can do to benefit your mentor.
Friday. Memorize Hebrews 13:7 and meditate on it: "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."
Identify the most accomplished, happy, spiritually vibrant people you know, and decide to follow their example. If you will do what they did when they were in your place, eventually you'll find yourself in their place.
I think that people, particularly Christians, don't understand how critical this is. We MUST be careful who we allow to speak into our lives. If you hang out with the chickens you'll never become an Eagle. Position, job titles and hierarchy doesn't impress me much. Some who wear eagle badges are chickens at heart. One of the men I like to hang around is a man who is unemployed and has had huge trouble in his life with addictions. He's a eagle most people think is a chicken. Pick your associates carefully and don't ever be impressed with position. It's irrelevant.
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