Wandering in the wilderness. (wave your hands around and turn in a circle)

Hello friends, Do you remember what it felt like that first time you sat in the drivers seat of a car? The excitement, the anticipation, maybe a little bit of adrenaline. Some of you were incredibly nervous, some I assume were pretty calm. A few of you had paid close attention to your parents when they drove. You got behind the wheel and needed little instruction. Others didn’t pay attn or only noticed a part of what your parents were doing when they drove. You got behind the wheel and it seemed as if you couldn’t do anything right. All of us once we began driving saw the world from a whole new light. We noticed signs we had never seen before. We saw driveways as a place cars could come from instead of a space of cement we could ride our bikes on. The colors of a stop light actually began talking to us instead of just flashing. None of us could have taken a car that first time and driven across town or entered the freeway safely without our parents or instructor sitting beside us guiding the way. Most of us had to drive on empty roads a few days before we were allowed anywhere near any semblance of traffic. (Whether that was a paternal or financial instinct on the part of our parents is up for debate.) Time passes and finally we’ve learned and developed enough to drive solo. After a set time of training and testing the U.S. Department of Transportation finally said we could drive on our own. But they gave us limits. There are still certain types of vehicles we are not allowed to drive without further training and testing. We are not allowed to teach until we reach a certain age of accountability. It would seem crazy for us to just hand the keys to our car over to someone that has never driven. Actually it would be illegal and when they do get in an accident your insurance company will refuse to pay the claim.

What else in life do we need training in before we can do it on our own? Riding a bike, 12 years of school, vocational training, college, Go to court and a judge will strongly advice against defending yourself, shoot even our parents teach us to eat, how to safely cross the road, and protect us from strangers. We are guided along in almost every aspect of our life. Sometimes in a one to one basis, sometimes a large group setting, and others a small group. One thing is sure, one to one is always the best and brings about the quickest and more substantial growth.

If we recognize the importance of training just to operate normally in life why is it not emphasized in the church? In life we are born and have parents to feed, diaper and burp us. They teach us to walk and right from wrong. Then once we reach a certain age we go off to school but even then we bring home assignments that our parents help us with. We see our classmates doing things and we ask our parents about it when we get home. In church we are born and sent right off to College (If we’re lucky) More often it’s “Congrats welcome to the family here’s a book to read I’ll see you at church on Sunday… Oh and I recommend joining a home group as well.” The thinking is ludicrous where’s the logic? There is none. Even in College after four (or so) years of training we go through an internship. Maybe I’m wrong let’s check and see if the bible treats new believers the way we do. Take a minute to look for examples. I’ll wait…

Nope can’t find anything that fits our model. Let me know if you did. Here’s what I did find. In Deuteronomy I see Moses raising up Joshua, Go to Judges and it looks as if Joshua hadn’t mentored anyone. He died and those who served with him died and Israel began to falter. The entire book of Judges is a testament to what happens when “The Judge” doesn’t raise up a mentor. Judge alive Israel prospers, Judge dies Israel wanders. (move your hands about wildy and turn in a circle. That’s my tribute to my churches summer series.) Ok lets continue. Ruth has Naomi and gets written into the family line of God (Hmmm) Samuel had Eli (Look at Eli’s kids good sign that perhaps our parents should not be our “only” spiritual mentor) Elisha had Elijah and he got a double anointing. Lets move to the New Testament. Jesus took on 12 personally yet at one moment he sent out 70 (Luke 10: 1-12) Saul/Paul was picked up by Ananias, and spent “Time” with “the disciples” then had Barnabas, From there it kinda goes crazy and I haven’t studied enough to say who discipled who. Clearly Timothy had Paul. I could name some more but I think you get the point. Can I also say that this is the time the church was exploding even through immense persecution. I don’t believe that is a coincidence. Remember what happened after Joshua died and how Israel acted while between Judges.

If mentoring is so prominent in the bible and the effects are so obvious why are we not emphasizing its importance today? Why are we not mentoring? As far as I can see it’s one of three reasons or a combination. 1. We don’t fully recognize its need or importance. 2. We don’t think we have anything to offer. 3. We are too lazy.

If you do not yet recognize the importance let give you one more observation. Israel without Joshua or any of the other Judges lived according to their own understanding and the family fell apart. Today the church in our country has few mentors and it is hurting desperately seeking to have a voice and without its voice look at what is happening to our country. We have no mentor no one pointing us toward the things of God so we’re making it up. Doing what seems right. (“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” Judges 21:25)

Ok, number one is out of the way. Lets attack number 2. Saul/Paul was preaching right away. Jesus Disciples were only with him for 3 years. Unless you were born yesterday there is always someone younger than you. But lets hit it for the cautious individual because I know a few of you just cringed a little bit. Mentoring doesn’t claim you know it all it just says you want to help guide. You know the importance of mentoring so you know that you need one as well. If you think you’re too young “find a mentor”. If you have a mentor then you’re not too young. Someone you are mentoring asks you a question and you don’t know the answer. You go to your mentor if he doesn’t know he goes to his. There! You’re not to young because you have back up. Number two is taken care of. Now the last excuse #3 I’m too lazy. GET OVER YOURSELF! Ok all of the excuses are taken care of. Now it’s time to go and find a “mentee”. Ask your pastor if he knows of anyone, maybe a kid in the church or a new believer. If he doesn’t know keep asking. Pray into it. God will lead you to the right person. If you need a mentor follow the same process. Is there someone you look up to? Ask them.

Shoot! I just realized it’s almost Christmas and I should have written about the season in some way and Gods gift to mankind. Ok, I’ll do it now. Gods gift to mankind (Jesus) did two things for us. He offered us salvation through his death on the cross and he MENTORED US!!! Why don’t you give a gift of yourself to someone this Christmas? Offer yourself as a mentor! Now it’s a Christmas message.

Merry Christmas everyone, Hey I have an idea lets do Christmas “UPSIDE DOWN”