“Simba let me tell you something that my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars... Whenever you feel alone just remember that those kings will be there to guide you, and so will I..”
~ Lion King Mufasa's parting instructions to his son Simba
Diversity makes us more well rounded. Has anyone ever really remained in the sole role of a spiritual parent in the long term growth of another believer? In my life various leaders have provided important truths that they specialized in by emphasis. As we grow and change so do our relationships with those who train us up. Our relationship with mentors, authors, speakers (we know personally or from a distance) are dynamic rather than static and should be treated sacredly... yet held loosely. Can any human really be the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls? Authoritative roles are designated to human beings for relatively short time periods and brief seasons. The roles change and morph and even alternate. Sometimes we even outgrow our leaders. Staying humble is essential when this happens. The formative years are messier and require more diaper changing from the onset. If all goes well and a relationship survives the years of testing and the connection stays in tact the elder usually becomes more of a trusted advisor. They may feel close with each other but a healthy distance is maintained and there is more of an equality. The son gains independence and exercises liberty over time.
If senior ministry continues to oversee a relationship as a micromanager it fosters more of a wierd dysfuntional co-dependency than a passing of the torch from one generation to the next. Elders with a right spirit exhibit a desire to see their offspring in the faith exceed them and go further and extend a godly influence farther than they have gone. As it is often said, one generation's ceiling is another generation's dance floor. Advancing the Kingdom should be the objective not who is in the driver’s seat leading the way. Fatherhood is not an eternal designation on a functional level. We may need to honor those who have gone before us as patriarchs and matriarchs but their ongoing role becomes more limited over time. The initial role of elders is to train, impart and empower their successors, not box them into a secondary role as some sort of lesser citizen in the Kingdom. A church or ministry should be a launching pad for upcoming generations rather than a religious prison to hold us back or a temple for exalted idols to be worshipped. Deifying our teachers is a trap to avoid!
Consider número UNO of the Ten Commandments:
Exodus 20 (NIV)
And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..."
Cultish leaders defy these organic principles of succession and get themselves into trouble by usurping the role of the Anointed One Himself. They assume a role that only God is supposed to fill out of insecurity or a greed for power. Our Heavenly Father is the only one who can ultimately fill the role as FATHER OF SPIRITS (Hebrews 12:9) and bring supernatural increase to our lives. Good elders know this and do their best to provide a safe place of pasture, then point to Him and move out of the way as much as possible. Sometimes God moves them out of the way unexpectedly, especially if they don't obey the prompting of the Spirit. This divine design keeps us from exalting a ministry above measure so we don’t turn a particular leader of choice into an idol of our own making. This is how we also keep from becoming dependent on them. Although we ought to honor our elementary and secondary teachers and coaches I don’t see anyone remaining in the same grade just because they had a good experience with a favorite teacher! I liked my little league coach but thank God I moved on!
Significance of the Mentor
The Greek poet Homer told of how Odysseus left his son Telemachus in the care of his old friend Mentor... Mentor guides Telemachus in a search for his lost father and his true heritage in The Odyssey. From Greek mythology this word mentor was handed down and has come to be defined as “an experienced and trusted advisor.” In The Hero with a Thousand Faces renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell explained that the hero, reluctant to engage in an adventure, meets a protective figure with supernatural aid. This mentor archetype provides sage-like advice the hero will need along his arduous journey overcoming various adversities and obstacles. Contemporary tales reflect this gentle and wise father/son ~ master/disciple relationship: Luke Skywalker is guided by Obi-Wan Kenobi to learn the ways of the Force in the original Star Wars. Frodo encounters a powerful mentor in the form of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. Morpheus instructs Neo how to overcome the Matrix. We all get to serve as mentors to different people at different times in our lives. Every one of us helps, advises and guides others. The Mentor is a vital role in business and in life. Honoring mentors means being grateful for their presence in our lives. I will reflect back on my journey in upcoming blog entries and honor some key guides stationed along the way in my spiritual walk, in musical/artististic/literary realms and in business as I learn to become an entrepreneur. It is a joy to celebrate these pioneers and ancestors and their significant input into my development! I pray you experience similar guidance and inspiration from others in your walk!
TO BE CONTINUED...