I ran across another quote from Mother Teresa recently. It sounds like it is aimed at parents, but I think it applies to all mentors. “You will teach them to fly, but they will not fly your flight. You will teach them to dream, but they will not dream your dream. You will teach them to live, but they will not live your life. Nevertheless, in every flight, in every dream, in every life the print of the way you taught them will remain.”
As a corporate trainer for seventeen years, I often had one or two trainees at a time and I felt that I was more of a mentor than trainer. I taught them the basic knowledge they would need for the job and to pass the state certification exam, but I also shared with them my experiences in the field to give them an idea of what they might run into on the job. During five weeks of training we got to know each other pretty well. Each of them was unique. Some had problems with written tests and others breezed right through them. Some could read instructions and get it, while others had to have hands-on experience in order to understand. Of course, they each had their own personality and talents. My job was not to produce employees just like me; it was to provide them with what they needed to be the best employee they could be.
I’m still in touch with many of them. Some are still enjoying serving customers in the field; some have been promoted to manager positions (one is now the company’s general manager); and several have started their own business. It is both gratifying and amazing that they all credit me with getting them started on their career path even though those paths are different. Mother Teresa was right; we can teach the basics, but what they do with that training is their own flight, dream and life.
What does all of this have to do with living our best Christian life and helping others to do the same? This blog was created to mentor new Christians and remind older ones of the basics of living as a son or daughter of God. My favorite passage from the Phillips translation of the New Testament is Romans 12:2. “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold…” When I mentor others, I am very careful not to squeeze them into my mold. The key is to help them reach their full potential even if that takes them beyond what I have achieved. The Christian life is not a competition. I simply show them how to listen for and obey prompting from that supreme Mentor within each of them – God’s Holy Spirit. He is a mentor you can always trust.
Even if you are saying to yourself right now, “I’m not a mentor!” you are commanded to love others and share your faith and experiences with them. That will influence them in a very personal way. There are also people watching your life from a distance that you aren’t even aware of. Without knowing their name or saying a word to them, you are mentoring them about the Christian life by your actions.