What is a Mentor, and Why Do I Need One?

No matter how hard we try, none of us can do life alone. People try all the time to separate themselves out from society because this-or-that person has hurt them, or because the troubles of life are just too hard, or because they don't know what to do when faced with difficult, life-changing decisions.

This is exactly the opposite of what they should do, however. We are all geared to learn from one another, to bounce ideas off of one another, and to obtain support from people who have something to offer to us.

So then, why is it that we run away from the sources of wisdom that we know would be such a boon to our lives?

The American culture of relativism has a lot to do with our silo mentality of trying to handle life on our own. American culture has created an atmosphere of distrust and self-reliance. A person who fails to stand tall in the midst of the storm of life and handle everything on her own is unworthy of FDR's up-from-the-bootstraps creed that has informed the American mind and driven our country.

Differing demographics have been so segmented as to prohibit young people from seeking help from the older and wiser, and to prohibit the older and wiser from offering assistance to the younger. This is no more evident in the college system, which separates an age group from all other sources of moral or life input, and instead encourages students to stew in a stagnant pool of ideas that have no opportunity to see the rest of the world as it truly is.

It is no wonder then that the art of being a mentor has been lost on this culture.

How does this compare to the biblical standard of Jesus, who spent three years of His life with men much younger than Him, passing on His knowledge to all who would listen on topics of life, God, money, relationships, forgiveness, and sanctification? Or what about Paul's relationship with Timothy, spent under the understanding of a father passing on truth to his son in the faith?

We all need those who are older and wiser to mentor us in such things, driving us further into greater understanding of the world and helping us to grow into the life that God has prepared for us. As Proverbs 11:14 says, "when there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors." That abundance of counselors is necessary to maximize the profit of life experiences and learning, and to guide us into even greater realizations of life.

Don't buy into the lie that you can do it alone. Divide and conquer has worked to bring down many a military force, and it can surely work to cause you to feel alone and beaten in all aspects of life. Instead, find someone who is a little further along in life, or a few someones, who can inform your experience and direct you into the success you desire.

Sources:

Biblical references from the New English Translation of the Bible.