FAITHFUL FRIENDS - Part 3

ELIJAH AND ELISHA - MENTORING FRIENDS

In this week's blog, we're going to discover some insights about being friends in a mentoring relationship. Do you recognize that most of us are either mentors or "mentees." This relationship includes lots of people. If you are a schoolteacher, a parent, a grandparent, a coach, a pastor or elder, a boss or supervisor, a law enforcement officer, a military or first responder commander, you are a mentor. If you are on the receiving end of the instruction, you are a "mentee" or a disciple. Almost every occupation has assistants, understudies, interns, trainees, and apprentices. And we understand the Bible teaches us that in the church the older men are to disciple the younger men, and the older women are to teach the younger women (Titus, Chapter 2) Both are to model, teach and encourage the younger generation about maturity, spousal and family relationships, spiritual life, leadership roles, and about godly attitudes and behavior. These mentoring relationships truly have the potential for meaningful friendships. It does take sincere, mature, humble people to turn a mentoring relationship into a significant friendship!

This mentorship is not usually a "bonded" friendship (see last week's blog), as the two people involved are not equal in their roles - one is the instructor, the other the learner. It's not usually a long-term relationship. The student will graduate or move on to a higher grade level; the assistant or intern will probably take a position elsewhere. Family members will grow up and take on their own responsibilities. The understudy may take over; the mentor will eventually retire or perhaps die. And it's not an automatic friendship. A mentoring friendship can produce rivalry between people as it did for King Saul and young David as we learned in last week's blog. A mentoring friendship is not designed to produce a "carbon copy" of the mentor, but it is more intended to produce CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!

A good example of a mentoring relationship that DID turn into a friendship in the Bible is Elijah and Elisha! Their names were very similar, like Joe and John today, but they were two very distinct, different personalities, who brought out the best in each other. In First Kings, Chapter 19, we become acquainted with these men and learn from their example about making the most of mentoring friendships. The LORD said to the Prophet Elijah, ". . . Go . . . and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat . . . to succeed you as prophet. So he departed from there and found Elisha. . .while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah. . . I will follow you" (I Kings 19:16, and 19-20).

A bit of background is necessary here. Elijah been given an assignment by God. (As followers of Jesus, we've all been given spiritual giftings and a life's mission. Have you come to know yours?) So, Elijah had challenged the false prophets on Mount Carmel. Through Elijah, God defeated those false prophets, but the anger of evil Queen Jezebel was aroused. She vowed to take revenge and kill Elijah. When he heard of her threat, he ran for his life in fear, and literally sank into deep depression, so much so he wanted to die. God proceeded to get Elijah's attention and arrest his depression by gifting him four distinct blessings to restore his spiritual passion. (You and I might be in need of the same.)

First, God gave him TIME FOR PHYSICAL REFRESHMENT.

Second, He gave to Elijah a renewed REVELATION OF HIMSELF - WHO GOD IS!

Third, God gave him a NEW CHALLENGE TO COMPLETE.

Fourth, God gave him a FRIEND TO MENTOR!

Herein lies the First Lesson for us - MENTORING FRIENDSHIPS OFTEN PROVIDE A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE! Few things will renew your energy like being involved in a mentoring relationship. Your attention is moved from serving self to assisting another, from the past to the future. And when you get the spotlight off self and onto another, it does wonders for your attitude and your outlook on life.

Elisha does his part in this relationship of mentoring. He accepts the apprenticeship given to him by God through Elijah. "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah . . ." (I Kings 19:21). Elisha made a total commitment to this relationship! He left no opportunity for retreat - no going back! He was willing to be devoted to the process of learning from the experienced prophet. Elijah invested the next few years mentoring Elisha and preparing him to be effective and fruitful in God's service! Here is a Second Lesson for us to seriously consider. MENTORING FRIENDSHIPS ALWAYS REQUIRE SACRIFICE! Elisha was a prominent farmer (I Kings 19:19) but he left it ALL to follow Elijah. (Are we heeding God's call to commit ALL or are we still "plowing the fields"?) It is like Jesus' disciples who left ALL (their boats and fishing nets, the tax collection booth, etc.) to follow Him as we read in the Gospels! The mentee (disciple) needs to be FAT - Faithful, Available and Teachable, and that requires a lot of humility. To develop a meaningful mentoring relationship, the Mentor (discipler) has to sacrifice as well, giving up some freedom, time, energy and privacy. Both need to be willing to sacrifice plans, resources, personal ambitions and personal profit.

As time went on, after effective mentoring and consistent following after Elijah, the friendship now involved the TRANSFER OF LEADERSHIP! God had just informed Elijah that his ministry was over, and he was going to be taken up into heaven in a very unusual way. The LORD was taking Elijah into His presence by a whirlwind (Second Kings 2:1). (Elijah and Enoch were the only two Bible characters who went up to heaven without experiencing physical death.) Elijah told his understudy that he was leaving and not ever coming back. Elisha would not let Elijah out of his sight; he did not want to let go of his mentor-friend! (Second Kings 2:1-12 tells us the full story.) Elisha insisted on going with Elijah everywhere until he departed! So now, is a Third Lesson coming through from this incredible friendship. MENTORING FRIENDSHIPS MOST OFTEN REQUIRE A TIMELY PASSING OF THE BATON OF MENTORING! Unfortunately, many mentees do not turn out to be their mentor's successors! But, there needs to be a clear and accepted understanding and agreement of the future roles, expectations and time commitment between the mentor and the mentee. Unless those issues are dealt with early on and repeatedly reviewed, it's inevitable that the mentoring relationship will deteriorate!

Let's think of a relay race to show us there are some very important and completely necessary essentials involved in the passing the baton, all parallel to successful mentoring:

1) The runner/mentor carrying the baton must keep going full speed ahead during the transition!

2) The receiver/mentee receiving the baton must begin "running" alongside prior to the hand it off!

3) The two of them must stay in the same "lane", heading in the very same direction!

4) There must be a timely, quick release as well as a steady, firm reception of the baton!

5) If that transition is made correctly and smoothly, it actually should result in at least one step gained . . . the team benefits!

6) The runner/mentor gets out of the way and cheers (gives strong encouragement and support) for the mentee (disciple) who now assumes the running/mentor position.

Mentoring Relationships (both the Mentor and Mentee) are absolutely essential, even in the Body of Christ - The Church. Jesus devoted three years discipling twelve men who would go on, after Jesus' ascension back to heaven, to literally change the world! Could God be calling us to choose to be either a discipler (mentor) or a disciple (mentee)? Would He find us willing to ACCEPT His call?