Sorry I didn't get this up yesterday. I didn't have wifi so it threw me off my schedule.
Today, we will be looking at the first of three sets of
mentors and students.
1. Abraham and Lot
2. Jethro and Moses
3. Naomi and Ruth
The story of Abraham and Lot is
oftentimes looked at as a very sad story. Though they were family, they
eventually had to split up after some fights. Lot chose to go toward Sodom and
Gomorrah and was entrenched in that place of sin. But there are lessons that we
can learn from the time that Abraham and Lot spent together, and even the time
that they spent apart
1. A mentor can be trusted.
- Genesis 12:4a- “So Abram departed, as the Lord
had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:”
In this passage
of scripture, it is important to understand the exact translation from the
Hebrew text to English. This translation is- “Go Abram Yahweh Go Lot.” The
importance of this is that it shows the dependence on God that Abram had. Abram
first had to trust in Yahweh before he could go out and do what He had
commanded. When Lot saw that Abram trusted God, he then could trust Abram with
his life, and go wherever Abram went. Can those that you mentor trust you? Can
they see a faith in God so strong that they will follow you as you follow God?
2. Mentoring isn’t forever.
- Genesis 13:11b-12- “and Lot journeyed east: and
they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of
Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward
Sodom.”
As I mentioned
earlier, Abram and Lot had their differences and split up. But even in what
seems to be a tragic time for a promising student, we can still learn a lesson.
You will not be with your student(s) forever. It doesn’t matter how much you
love them or want to stay with them forever, God has plans for each of us that
take us down different roads. Don’t be afraid to let go of your student and let
God have a chance to work specifically in their life.
3. Mentoring means rescuing.
- Genesis 14:16- “And he brought back all the
goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women
also, and the people.”
Good old Abraham
to the rescue! With just 318 trained servants (and God on His side), he took on
the armies of four kings and won the victory! He brought back everything and
everyone that had been taken. This also supplies a lesson for us. While Lot
made a mistake in where he was living (Sodom), Abraham was there for his
student. God wants us to be there for those that he entrusts in our care, even
when they make mistakes. This means even when it comes at a cost to our time
and/or resources.
4. Mentors intercede through prayer.
- Genesis 18:16-33, 19:27-29- (18:23-26) “And
Abraham drew near, and said, ‘Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the
wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city:
wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are
therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay
the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked,
that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ And
the Lord said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will
spare all the place for their sakes’”
Abraham was told
by God that the place where his nephew was living was going to be destroyed for
its wickedness. Because of this, Abraham was concerned for his nephew whom he
had brought from the east with him. He then demonstrated one of the most
important qualities that any follower of God should have- a prayer life that
was strong. He interceded on behalf of Lot and his family just like he did in
the above verses, and went from 50 righteous people down to 45, 40, 30, 20, and
finally asking God to spare the city if there were only 10 righteous people
living there. It’s not that Abraham showed a lack of faith in God to spare the
city, it’s that he knew how the people in the city lived. I believe that this
holds true for us today. Each of us must find time for prayer, not just for
ourselves or our family, but for those God has placed in our care, our
students.
