Living in Increase (Part 4) - Increase in CommunityIhe Atụ

Jesus and the Disciples

Of course, we can’t conclude our discussion on mentors and mentees without talking about Jesus, our Ultimate Mentor. Jesus’s closest mentees were His disciples, who are listed by name in the passage for today. In these few verses, we can learn a few essential things about mentorship from Jesus.

First, Jesus empowered His disciples. Matthew 10:1 says that Jesus “gave them authority” to cast out evil spirits and heal people. Good mentors empower their mentees. No one likes a micromanager. Instead of Jesus personally going with each disciple to carry out these tasks, Jesus empowered His disciples to act.

Second, Jesus sent His disciples on a clear mission. Matthew 10:5 says that Jesus gave “instructions” to the disciples on where they were to go and what they were to accomplish. He didn’t send them out with a “good luck” or “you’ll figure it out.” On the contrary, Jesus instructed his disciples with a clear mission. When mentoring others, we, too, should ensure we give clear next steps to those we are guiding. Empowerment can’t exist without clarity!

Finally, Jesus told the disciples to share what they’d learned. Jesus said to “give as freely as [they] had received” from Him (Matthew 10:8). While the disciples may have thought Jesus’s encouragement and words of wisdom were just for them, Jesus knew that His Words would be forever accounted for in the Bible. As we mentor others, we must do so with the hope and mentality that what we demonstrate and teach will live far beyond us. What we share with others may one day be shared with others, establishing a legacy of mentorship.

By following Jesus’s example, we can be mentors who empower others, lead with clarity, and leave a legacy!

Danielle Babcock-Sapienza and Emily N. Green

Action Step: Write out what you want your legacy to be. What do you want to be remembered for? Who do you want to be remembered by? Then, write three steps you can take today to live that legacy.