Why Mentorship Is Important: Lessons From the Influential MentorSample

Mentorship Connects

Verse fifty-one ends on a high note; although Jesus knew that the relationship these men would be taking on together would be full of ups and downs, it would also be full of lessons. John ends the passage clearly, reminding us that we must keep heaven in mind when mentoring people. I believe that heaven is counting on us to mentor well because heaven is the ultimate connection place for those who know Jesus. It is also where everything will be made clear to us. When we choose mentorship, we are connecting our mentee to what God has in store for them in heaven.

Had God not given me another mentor, Bernelle Hunter would have been enough for me. He poured his life into an immature and even reckless young man such as me. To think that he has stayed on the job for the last forty years amazes me. I would have walked away many times over. Although I’ve never cut his yard, there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do if Bernelle asked me. Until recently, I honestly thought that I was the only person he mentored. But I soon realized that I wasn’t. There were countless other young men who he poured his life into. That’s what is so amazing about mentorship: it's personal. It’s just what that person needs based on the uniqueness of each person.

During my time writing and reflecting on the life of Howard Hendricks, one thing that stood out to me was that he was so personal when relating with others. Each of the almost 100 people that I interviewed had their own unique story about this. Howard knew how to influence and mentor well. Although the people that Howard mentored were all diverse and unique, Howard could discern what they needed throughout the mentorship relationship. I believe that mentorship is timeless and a “for such as time as this” practice. True mentorship requires a person to understand that God is the one who calls us to it. The mentor should be pouring what God has placed in them into the life of the mentee. They connect the other to the One who knows them intimately and fully. They connect the mentee on this side of heaven to the One who will meet them on the other side. We not only point to Jesus, but we also help them personally meet Jesus who will walk with them and talk with them along life’s narrow way.

To continue learning about the importance of mentorship, pick up your copy of The Influential Mentor by Maina Mwaura