This post is the third of a four-part series based on the message about friendships that I shared in chapel at Grove City College on February 9, part of the college's Focus Week on relationships. To listen to the complete message, click here.
Many of you already know about my passion for a third type of friendship: mentorship. During my college years, I realized the importance of having someone pouring into me while I was pouring into others. This natural flow is represented here in this image. The pitcher on the left represents a person who uses his or her unique passions and gifts to pour into the lives of others (the cup on the right).
Ideally, this "cascade of mentorship" continues through whole communities, as believers faithfully live out their callings in relationship with one another, "one generation commend[ing] [God's] works to another" (Psalm 145:4).
This image stayed with me as I entered the "real world" and moved to Germany. I welcomed the opportunity to lead a small group of high school girls, and many of you have prayed with me for these girls over the past 5+ years!
However, in that first year as their small group leader, I realized that, in order to maintain balance in my life, I needed to also have someone pouring into me. At the end of my first year in Germany, I asked a woman in the community to be my mentor, and she became a voice of truth and wisdom for me during my years overseas. This grew into a desire to spread the vision for connection in intentional relationships, and so began Walking Together.
Mentorship is seen in the example of Paul and Timothy, whom Paul refers to as his "son in the faith" (1 Tim. 1:2). Paul instructs Timothy to "fight the good fight" (1 Tim. 6:12), to "train [himself] to be godly" (1 Tim. 4:7), and not to let anyone look down on him (1 Tim. 4:12).
Clearly both Paul and Timothy were very busy men. They were spreading the Gospel all over the known world and equipping the first century church to flourish and grow into a global movement. They certainly faced obstacles in figuring out a time to meet - imprisonment, shipwreck, dependence on long-distance communication - and all without the Internet! But Paul intentionally invested in Timothy as a rising leader by inviting him to serve alongside him and affirming his faith.
Do you have someone helping you process life and speaking words of truth into your present circumstances? Consider if there is someone in your community whom you can ask to meet with you periodically and walk alongside you in this season of life.
It could be that you are in a new place or one with very few believers or surrounded mostly by peers. Perhaps you've looked around and prayed for someone to invest in you, but you're coming up empty-handed. It may sound cliche, but I believe that Jesus will provide exactly what we need in His timing. Perhaps right now He is asking you to listen to His voice and allow Him to mentor you through a dry season.
Proverbs 18:24 says that there is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother - that is Jesus, who desires our friendship for life and who was willing to die to make that intimate relationship possible. In seasons of transition, this has silenced my worrying and abated my attempts to try to make my community look like what I think it should look like. As we seek Him, Jesus will provide exactly what we need in His timing.
Whether we are sitting in the ashes of loneliness or celebrating in the company of many, we can continue to trust that Jesus will provide exactly the people we need in His timing.
And more than that, He is always enough. God's promise to Isaiah is true for us, too: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).
How can you acknowledge God's sovereignty in your current season?
How will you choose to lean into sharing life with others as part of the "cascade of mentorship"?
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