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Who are you turning your ear to?
Noise. Today there is so much noise surrounding us. It penetrates every thought and any quiet moment we get. The noise comes from social media, peers at school, television, podcasts, music, etc. It distracts us and stops us in our course of thought, but it also has the power to lead us down an unwanted path. When it comes to advice and direction, who are you turning your ear to?
The Value in a Mentor
There are so many of us who often have a problem or need some good advice from someone, but do not have a trusted person to turn to. This is where we can find value in a mentor. The dictionary defines a mentor as “an experienced and trusted advisor.” The action of a mentor is advising and guiding someone. Think of the people in your life who have given you thoughtful and trustworthy advice. These are the people that could be your mentor.
A mentor is a beneficial thing to have in your life because God did not mean for us to do life alone. Provers 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Mentorship and teaching have always been part of God’s plan. We need direction and guidance. He provides people who are wise and faithful to aid in leading younger generations to follow the path that ultimately leads to Him. He knows that minds can be molded, and how valuable it can be to provide teaching from a young age.
Finding a good mentor is important, but even more so, to find one that is walking along with Christ. These can be people in your church, such as small group leaders, pastors, or people from your bible study or small group. A mentor should seek God first and look to His word for guidance on solving problems. God commands, “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). God desires for us to share the wisdom gained from him with others. We are called as his children to be aware and look for opportunities to do this. He places people in our lives at the right time to speak the truth we need to hear. We ought to pray for people that will faithfully guide us in our lives as Christians, but also for people to whom we can mentor and offer guidance.
Our Ultimate Mentor
Knowledge can come in a multitude of forms in addition to mentors. These sources include speakers, books, podcasts, and music. These have great nuggets to chew on and they have the ability to help grow our faith. These resources are beneficial in helping us seek God first and focus on him throughout the day. However, we must be steadfast in what we listen to and be wary that these resources are not the first thing we run to. Our ultimate mentor is God. He provides us with wisdom and guidance that is pure and leads us to the path he has already set for us. Our Father is the one that teaches us to listen to His voice and learn the ability to discern. When we see a situation or a problem on the horizon, our action should be to first get down on our knees and pray. Ask God for guidance, discernment, and individuals to speak wisdom to our situation. It is then that God gives us mentors and resources that can speak to our problems.
God will always provide for us, and He knows what we need before we do. Once again, God doesn’t want us walking through life on our own. This is why He has given us the gift of mentors, and the ultimate gift of a relationship with him.
Are you allowing the everyday noise to drown God out? Do you rely on the media to advise you on how to act and how to fix your problems? Or are you looking to God, our wonderful counselor, who offers truth and life in all situations.
-Ashlyn