Feb 17 2014 Invest Your Influence Wisely
When God instructed the prophet Elijah to become a mentor (for his own good), He led him to a young man named, Elisha, who “was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair” (1 Kings 19:19). This brief sentence tells us that Elisha wasn’t an aimless beggar with no career options. Neither was he a pampered rich kid, long on privilege and short on character. Quite the opposite!
An ox was the ancient equivalent of a modern John Deere tractor. A pair of them yoked together produced incredible pulling power. Elisha supervised twelve pair of oxen, indicating that he oversaw a very large farming enterprise for his family. But he wasn’t afraid of hard work; he personally operated one of the teams. God chose for Elijah a supremely qualified student with a strong work ethic.
In becoming a mentor, you are investing yourself in the life of another. This committed relationship becomes is how you extend your influence and create a personal legacy. So, use wisdom. Choose someone who shows promise, whose strengths you believe can be cultivated through your personal influence.
Do you know someone who can be described as “a capable younger person who shows promise”? What names immediately pop into your mind? What is the first step you can take to begin a supportive relationship with one or more of these individuals?
What’s holding you back? Pick up the phone and make that call!