THE MENTOR. 1st Timothy 1:2 The primary goal of mentoring others is to enable a person to be effective in their life and service to the Lord. For that to happen, a person must have the desire to be like their Lord Jesus Christ. This means we are to be “after the image of Him who created him (Col.3:10); a new creation (2 Cor.5:17); conformed to the image of His Son (Rom.8:29).” Both the mentor and the mentored are to resemble our Lord Jesus in holiness (1Pet.1:15, 16); righteousness (1Jn.3:7); purity (1Jn.3:3); love (Eph.5:1, 2); forgiveness (Col.3:13); compassion (Lu.6:36); endurance (Heb.12:2-4); submission (1Pet.2:21-24); humility and obedience (Phil.2:5-8); kindness (Lu.6:35); and generosity (2Cor.8:1-9). If this desire isn’t present in both, the entire mentoring process becomes pointless: “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life… (2 Tim.3:10).”
If someone doesn’t live out what they learn, they cannot lead effectively. We truly understand each other only when we share our lives and burdens. Effectiveness in leadership does not happen by chance. It results from good preparation and a willingness to support others. Not everyone has the right to give counsel and expect honest feedback. Teaching by a mentor must be meaningful, manageable, and measurable. The mentor who models their life after the example of the Lord Jesus will undoubtedly have a positive influence on those they mentor.
I wonder if Paul was thinking something like this before he wrote his first letter to Timothy and instructed him to go to Ephesus and help establish that church in a crisis. He probably knew Timothy would have felt that the responsibility given to him was more than he could handle.
“Timothy, you are my son, my genuine child, though not by the ties of nature. Through Christ’s Gospel that I preached in your hometown, you learned truths the Holy Spirit taught you: “From a child, you have known the holy scriptures that are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus.” What happens to you is important to me, Paul, because our lives are forever entwined. Your faith is out in the open for all to see; to not recognize it, one would have to be blind. I know it was modeled in Lois, your grandmother, and Eunice, your mother. Both of them knew the worth of an impressionable son who had put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age. They lived carefully before you, each other, and your Greek father. Their personal faith in the One they believed in was obvious to you because it was real and meaningful to them and you.
God is our Father, both yours and mine, and Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord. They will give us the grace to let our lights shine so that as laborers together, God can use us to tell others His Word. We are in this holy work together, this greatest of works, that moves nations and individuals, and kings and poor men. We have labored together in many places, doing whatever it takes to set men free from the bondage of sin. My work will soon be done, but yours will continue. That’s why I am writing this letter.”
Paul understood he bore the responsibility of an apostle, and all the saints in the assembly at Ephesus still needed care and nurturing even after he had spent about three years with them. He had experienced God in his life and knew those who followed behind him also needed God's guidance for themselves. The Lord had prepared this unique servant for years so he could mentor others who were fellow servants to him, and then they could teach others.
Paul was a deeply religious Hebrew who had studied under Gamaliel, the brightest scholar of his time. Our first introduction to him was when he vehemently opposed Christianity during the stoning of Stephen. His bitterness ran deep, and the persecution he led was directed against anything that wasn't Judaism. Until his conversion to Christ, there had not been a sustained effort to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit early in his Christian life, Paul gained an understanding of the mystery of the church unlike anyone else. His encounter with the Lord Jesus on the Damascus Road put him in the unique position of being the last of the apostles. After spending time in Arabia, Jerusalem, Tarsus, and then Antioch, he began working with others to open doors across central Asia and into Europe. The work in Ephesus needed strengthening, and this busy, wise man knew the time had come for Timothy to step out on his own and take responsibility for the work of the Lord.
The opposition from some passionate individuals should not prevent us from praying for their salvation and trusting that God will work His grace in their hearts. Such people can be a powerful force for good in God's kingdom. As those who have heard our Lord's command to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel," we must stay faithful and urgent in the work we have been called to. People often learn more by actively participating in a task than by just studying about it.
Students in university can learn a lot about a subject without actually doing the work they're training for. A doctor isn't qualified to practice medicine just because he has studied the human body. When he or she puts their training into practice, they must spend time as an intern before they can practice independently. The same is true for any profession we pursue. Timothy had been with Paul for quite some time. Now, it was time for him to stand on his own.
Older men's support for young men is crucial when they are called to serve the saints in various gatherings and the work of the Gospel. Paul transformed and challenged the lives of believers when he shared the Gospel with them, and now he was a shepherd caring for his sheep. He needed another shepherd who wasn't a hireling, and Timothy was that man.
Paul understood Timothy's needs and avoided causing him unnecessary stress. He knew that some hardships must be endured for the sake of the Gospel and fellow workers (Phil. 2:25-30). His attitude was such that Timothy would appreciate what he says, how he says it, and why it must be said. Standards of righteousness, morality, and common courtesy must be maintained (Philemon 7-14).
The Lord didn't waste Paul's background, citizenship, training, great intelligence, and sharp mind. Paul chose Timothy to come and help with the work of the Lord, even though there was a difference between the Greek father and Eunice, his mother, and Lois, his grandmother. Paul knew how to read character and strengths and recognized Timothy as a "true child" in the faith. After Paul was released from prison, he could not stay in Ephesus. The work was difficult, and Paul wrote to encourage the man he was mentoring.
A mentor is consistent in his integrity. His reputation for godly sincerity testifies that he has no hidden motives behind his concern for the well-being and growth of others. He has experienced and values unmerited grace from God. In his care for others, he demonstrates that unmerited grace himself. He is a man of his word who does not say one thing and mean another. He is reliable enough to keep his commitments (2 Cor.1:12-17). Representing Christ in human flesh makes the mentor aware of who he is and where he stands at all times. The resurrection life of Christ is real to him as the Lord reaches out to others through him.
God knows who we are and what we are capable of. When the Spirit of God leads us to a place and a work, we are responsible for doing that because He has empowered us. It is wrong for older people to leave young men high and dry without help. God's power turned a persecutor into a preacher. He can make us sensitive to His leading and use us to accomplish His will and ways. Mentoring involves carrying burdens so others learn how to handle leadership. One challenge mentors face is to replace themselves with other leaders.
To encourage Timothy and Titus, Paul uses the title “Savior” to remind them of the One they serve. He also uses the title “Our Hope” of the Lord to strengthen their hearts and remind them of the power of the Gospel message. There was genuine Christian love between these men. Paul was committed not only to the Lord and the Gospel but also to his fellow workers. There is a significant difference between deciding to do something and being committed to a person. When all definitions are combined, commitment means turning something over to someone. Yielding, trusting, and placing something at another's disposal without hesitation is a serious matter—especially when it involves an important task like teaching an assembly.
Apathy and complacency have no place in the work of the Lord. Our good intentions are not enough; they must be translated into action to accomplish His work. We should never refuse when the Lord guides us to perform some act of service for Him. As our Master, we are responsible for obeying Him without question. We should not delay in carrying out any work for God and should do it diligently with our might and for His glory. The cost of commitment involves our personal relationships with people that may compete with our loyalty to the Lord and our loved ones. My personal desires may need to be set aside to fulfill my commitments. Our possessions may need to be forfeited to meet our spiritual obligations to our Lord. Amy Carmichael wrote, "The vows of God are upon me. I may not play with shadows or pluck earthly flowers till I have done my work and rendered up an account."
Paul was dedicated to Timothy. Timothy had tasks to complete, and Paul, his mentor, supported, encouraged, and instructed him on how to carry out his work. Paul affirmed their relationship and started giving spiritual advice as a father teaches his son. He warned him about false teachers and how to defend himself and his faith when under attack.
When we have a strong relationship with someone younger, we must provide good advice and careful guidance. Our support might not seem urgently needed at first, but then we realize they require our help, whether they are aware of it or not. Any worker in the field will value the prayer of an older brother who asks God for grace, mercy, and peace on their behalf. Mentoring involves bearing burdens at times that allow one another to manage the heavy problems of leadership.
When someone truly cares for others, they cannot dismiss with a casual nod work that risks going astray. Deep down, they feel responsible to offer some help and protect what they have contributed to because they were involved from the start. Their knowledge of the work and the people they mentor is unique, so they urgently seek solutions and ways to assist. They cannot do everything due to their current limitations. However, they trust that those they mentor have learned to depend on God to handle challenges they face together. That is the answer to the needs in the work they helped establish: passing on faith to the young is the most urgent and ongoing need. For God's power and grace, they now earnestly pray for them and write to encourage, guide, and give instructions. The worker in that distant place will come to see the importance and necessity of God's ongoing grace.
When someone is alone with a heavy burden, it’s very helpful to know that a mentor shares in the feelings of need and our limited faith. The mentor shows the path of our Lord's guidance that fits the current need so God's truth can be applied to handle the situation. We learn through experience that our Lord is always close by to answer and give strength, showing us the right solution so that both student and mentor know the answer to their prayer.