Lessons From Esther (3)

Hopefully, this should be this concluding part of lessons from Esther (if the Holy Spirit allows us). By the way, if you haven't read “Hadassah, the story," you should. Here- Hadassah, the story). 

We'll start our conversation with the image above. You know, I couldn't help but laugh when I saw it and I believe it resonates with what we're discussing as touching Queen Esther; talking about having a mentor. (In the succeeding sentences, I'd be giving the definition of a mentor in line with what you should look out for. Come with me...) A mentor, should be someone who has more knowledge than you (spiritually speaking now. You can have a mentor in all other spheres, financially, academically career wise... Therefore, a mentor varies as touching the area of your life where you need them). However, talking about a spiritual mentor, they should be someone who is more knowledgeable than you in spiritual things (there's a longing to use another word other than “knowledgeable" but that's what the Holy Spirit impressed in my heart). And let me tell you now that it's not about age. In this kingdom, it's not by age. The Lord doesn't work by age. Jesus was ver y knowledgeable at age 12. Okay, if you think because He's the Son of God, that's very possible, how about Timothy who was just 19 and pastoring a church?? Also, Jesus' disciples were teenagers (DYOR). If Jesus thought they were too young, He wouldn't have picked them. There's a common saying that maturity is not by age. This however does not mean that you should submit to just anyone you “think" is more knowledgeable than you are. 

Whoever happens to be your mentor should be someone you are “led to" and the other party is also convinced that they're “led to" have you as a mentee as well (‘led to,' as in perceive). A mentor gives recourse, information, counsel, corrections, and so on to their protege in order than they might be a better version of them and of themselves. He/she must be someone whose life replicates that of Christ, not the world. You do not run to someone to have them as your mentor because they mentor every other person. Because of his office, the pastor of a local church automatically mentors all his members. Nonetheless, he is not “exactly" a mentor to all. He does more of instruct than mentor. Now, you do not because of that go ahead to submit to him as a mentor because he's your pastor (wait, I'm not saying you shouldn't respect your pastor or follow his counsel, here's what I'm saying...)

I'm sure they're friends of yours whom you can tell virtually anything and correct virtually about everything. But to some of your friends, you cannot tell somethings because you know they might take offence or that y'all are so close such that you can actually tell them “that kind of thing." For example, even in Jesus' circle of disciples, He had 3 special ones, “Peter, James and John." He takes them to special meetings like the mount of transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-9), the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-38). Still Jesus had one among the 3, in person of John (John 13:23). This particular disciple, it was recorded that Jesus loved him. Jesus loved him so much he rested on His laps (oh my... This gives me chills. How that Jesus can love you so much that He can as well hug you. It all depends on how deep your fellowship is with Him. It doesn't mean He has favourites). In this chapter of Matthew, they were trying to get information of who was going to betray Jesus. Peter that was more outspoken out of the remaining 12 had to beckon to John to ask Jesus who He was talking about, and guess what, Jesus told him! Others were not privy to that information, but John was. Yeah, that is a good example of a mentor! (Err, this is for illustrative purposes. It's not exactly what that verse is saying. Let's be careful to not take it as a doctrine because TRC said so). 

You cannot just walk up to anybody to discuss your spiritual status because they might further drown you in that pit of confusion. It was mentioned in the other article that as believers we live a life of dependence, on the Holy Spirit, your mentor, spiritual parents, with the inclusion of genuine men of God and other believers. If your mentor is not staying in your location, you should be able to contact them at any time of the day and they'd reply you ASAP. If your mentor is a renowned and popular man of God and is coming to your state or city. Let's say they forget to inform you, when you get to know, and you pay them a visit, their protocol shouldn't stop you from seeing them (especially when you've called ahead of time. Don't just rush there and then demand to see them because you know them. It's unethical. Except of course your mentor gave you an appointment). 

I don't know how other believers live without a mentor (anywhere you see mentor, I'm talking of the spiritual parent as well). There are cases where some spiritual things seem foggy to you, or you get to a brick wall with a particular scripture, or you even need a spiritual intervention in form of prayer at some point. Who do you run to then? Sometimes, your mentor might even perceive something about you and get across to you to relay the information. 

If you go away with this next statement, you're good to go! “That you have a mentor doesn't negate the person of the Holy Spirit inside of you. Do not make the mistake of putting them above and before the Holy Spirit because you mentor is human and can make mistakes, but the Holy Spirit cannot. This doesn't mean you should see your mentor from ‘the human can make mistakes' point of view. What I'm trying to pass across to you is balance. When you have a mentor who is led of the Spirit, they can discern when you're letting them take the place of the Holy Spirit in your life. Do balance the relationship."

Let's run through a list of those in the scriptures with mentors and they didn't fail...

1. Moses deferred to Jethro (Ex. 18).

2. Joshua deferred to Moses (Ex. 17).

3. Timothy deferred to Apostle Paul (1st & 2nd book of Timothy).

4. Philemon deferred to Apostle Paul (the book of Philemon).

5. Titus deferred to Apostle Paul (the book of Titus).

6. The first sets of believers deferred to the Apostles (the book of Acts). 

7. Elisha deferred to Elijah (1 Kings 19 from verse 17).

8. Esther deferred to Mordecai (the book of Esther).

9. Ruth deferred to Naomi (the book of Ruth).

There are other examples of mentors and their proteges in the scriptures but these sets of individuals were the ones whose relationship produced the best result such that we now look to them as role models in the church today. And I dare tell you that at least, 50% of the success of these mentees is attached to the obedience and submission to their mentors. Find time to read up the scriptures above and let me know if I'm wrong. 

As for the remaining 50%, it depended on their own personal relationship with God! We're treating the story of Esther, right? Let's take her as an illustration. Yes, Mordecai made her understand why the Lord had her at the palace the time she got there. Still, the life of the Jews being preserved rested on her shoulders. The popular statement, “if I perish, I perish" is deeper than the way people use it nowadays. It was a statement made out of a sincere heart and out of love for God's people. She was willing to die for her people (does this bring Jesus to mind? The only difference is Jesus actually died). 

If Esther didn't know to pray and seek God's face on her own after her cousin had explained to her that they were going to die if she didn't do something about it; trust me, they'd have all perished, and as earlier stated in the first article (I guess), she'd have been a figure head queen who died without fulfilling her purpose (this is a whole separate lesson on it's own, and it's another lesson to be learnt from the story of Esther. If you did follow the 3 articles about her, I believe we touched this subject one way or the other. You can refresh your memory by going back to read the 2 previous articles in oder to have a better understanding of this). 

If you want to argue that the great men of God in your nation do not have a mentor and they're doing well, then you have the wrong information. That's not what the Holy Spirit would have me do, if not, we'd have taken time to list out these men of God and their mentors (who knows, we might make a list soon). Don't be deceived. They all have other men of God they submit to. Only that you might not know them! I'll give example of ministers who we can closely relate to... Apostle Joshua Selman, the mentor to almost all young believers now has mentors and a spiritual father. Pastor Daniel Olawande has a spiritual mother, father and mentors (he has mentioned them many times). Apostle Mike-Orokpo, Apostle Arome, etc, all have mentors. If you pay attention to their messages, they've it at one time or the other. If these great men still defer to other men of God, trust me when I say you cannot do your Christian life without a mentor!

Dear RC, with these few points of mine, I hope I've been able to convince you and not to confuse you that you need a mentor in your Christian journey!

I wouldn't dare say we've come to the end of our lesson from Esther as a Bible character, but on my own part, we can stop here. If the Holy Spirit will have us touch her topic again, we'll see to it!