November 28 I Saturday

Ezekiel 33-34

1 Peter 5

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” —Hebrews 13:7

 When it comes to important matters and troubling circumstances, a sensible person seeks advice, but not all advice is good, so where do we find the wisest council? David was Israel’s greatest king, and he looked for advice from godly counsellors. One of his primary advisors was a man named Ahithophel. The Bible says of him, “the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who enquires of God” (2 Samuel 16:23).

Ahithophel was not born godly; he learned that godly advice came from spending time with God. For spiritual growth, it is important that we have people in our lives who enjoy a strong relationship with God, who have gained wisdom from regularly spending time in His Word and who have been transformed by the work of God in their hearts. These people will have wisdom and insight that surpass human understanding, because it would have derived from God. Spending time with godly people, however, should not replace spending time with God ourselves, but we will find that God places certain people in our path from whom we may seek advice.

These people are mentors, even if we do not think of them that way. Mentorship does not require scheduled routines or schooling, nor do godly mentors have to be certified theologians, or in full-time ministry, just everyday people we have come to know. From personal experience, the best mentors are usually those who are simply being themselves, and do not even realize the godly influence they have on our lives. They are the ones we trust, not only because we have come to know them well, but we see the life of Christ expressed in how they live, the way they treat others and the moral integrity of God, all of which is evident in how their lives turn out.

The author of Hebrews gives invaluable insight on how we should think of our mentors. He writes, “Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” He does not tell us to imitate their activity. We are not to turn our mentors into role models of how to think and behave. We look to them for spiritual advice, and trust them because their dependence on Christ is reflected in their lives. Their strength, peace, joy and willingness to share their experiences are all signs of intimacy with God. These are traits that can be inspired and encouraged in us with mentors God places in our lives so that we follow their example of faith, not in actions, but in living wholly dependent on God, and trusting Him in every facet of our lives.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for placing godly mentors in my life. May I learn from them what it means to know You and enjoy an ever-deepening relationship with You.