If I had to describe my participation in most of my mentoring relationships I would say that I am a moral compass and not a sextant. A compass points towards the north…sort of. Depending on where you stand a compass points to north with a slight deviation for magnetic pull. So it can be up to 10 degrees off. A sextant is used by seamen and those who are responsible for knowing exactly where they are going.
A mentor who is a moral compass is good for the short term and can get a person going in the right direction by giving good advice and making sure they are set on a good path. The point where this type of mentor fails is when the need for exact directions, using scripture, are required.
I finally realized this when I had one of my brothers decided on a false path instead of the one that leads to God. I kept pointing my finger and saying “No! Go over there”. No matter how many times I point he continues to walk off the wrong way. In this moment I realized I did not have a good understanding of how to use the map (bible) to say “This IS the right way”.
A sextant is required and all I have is a finger and a somewhat accurate compass.
I have built many relationships based upon being able to say “It’s over there” and now I realize that maybe I would benefit by looking at the map. I am left with one great truth, I can pray and God can still repair my wayward efforts.
While I will still continue to point the way and use a map as much as possible from now on, I will try to keep from poking myself in the eye with my compass finger. It hurts.
My friend…it really is over there…
I was just talking with my friend about this last week at lunch . Don’t know how we landed on the subject actually , they brought it up. I do remember eating a wonderful fruit salad with ranch on it. I digress…