Don't Be That Kind of Mentor
Everyone is a counselor. Everyone is a mentor. Everyone attempts to influence others with their beliefs and belief systems. It might be as simple as trying to convince others of the beauty of a medium-rare steak, the joys of being a fan of the Texas Rangers (at least this year), the importance of living debt-free, or the benefits of driving an SUV.
Or the topic might be much more (eternally) significant—the truth of the gospel being by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Or the responsibility to feed oneself on the Word of God on a regular basis so that the Spirit of God can conform us to that Word.
The point is that everyone is a counselor. Everyone disciples and mentors. Everyone influences others. The question is not whether or not we counsel, but whether we are wise or foolish disciplers, whether we are biblical or unbiblical counselors, and whether we are godly or ungodly mentors.
Because our goal is to be godly mentors, we want to be wise in following the right kinds of mentors ourselves, patterning ourselves after Christ’s example of shepherding care.
And there are bad examples to follow as mentors. There are mentors who will not only destroy us, but also turn us into destroyers of others. We want to avoid those kinds of shepherds. And we want to avoid the ultimate bad shepherd—the one described in Zechariah 11. That shepherd is ordained by God to judge the rebellion of Israel, and he will be a shepherd “who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs.” (Zechariah 11:16, NASB)
God is speaking there of the Antichrist, the one who will serve as the supreme and final earthly opposition to Christ at the end of the age.
He will be a leader who will not do what a shepherd should do: he will not care for the endangered, seek the young (and vulnerable), heal the wounded, or feed the hungry. Even worse: he will be a leader who feeds on his sheep (taking advantage of them for personal gain), and maims and harms the sheep out of disregard and malicious hatred. That’s what the Antichrist will be and do.
And there are many who pattern their lives after him. There are even leaders in churches who act like him, pursuing personal gain and not caring for those who have been entrusted to them (e.g., 2 Timothy 3:1-9; Acts 20:29-30).
Don’t be that kind of spiritual caregiver.
Be the antithesis of the Antichrist. Be the kind of shepherd, counselor, and mentor that he is not. We can actually take the description of what he is and does and consider to opposite to see what kind of shepherd God desires and honors.
God’s true shepherds care for the endangered. God’s shepherds are willing to put themselves in harm’s way if they can help the sheep; they are willing to spiritually battle false teachers and professors to guard the souls of their sheep.
God’s true shepherds seek the young (and vulnerable). God’s shepherds seek those who have wandered away from the faith; they are watchful over the young in the faith and work to build up their faith and protect them.
God’s true shepherds heal the hurting and wounded. Like the good Samaritan, they sacrifice and pay a variety of costs (time, energy, and resources) so that those who have been harmed are tended and healed.
God’s true shepherds feed the hungry (and maintain the healthy). God’s shepherds are cognizant of the healthy who need regular spiritual meals (care) and are attentive to administering the Word of God to them (cf. John 21:15-17).
God’s true shepherds serve the sheep. Some pursue ministry for what they gain from it; God’s shepherds will undoubtedly receive some gain (it’s a blessing and joy to be used by God to care for others and there will almost always be great benefit in that joy), but that isn’t the motive. God’s shepherds aren’t motivated by gain (cf. 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Timothy 3:3; 6:17-19), but are motivated by giving—they joyfully sacrifice in caring for others.
God’s true shepherds do not maliciously (intentionally) harm the sheep. Apart from Christ, God’s shepherds are all sinners who will inevitably sin against the sheep entrusted to them. But God’s shepherds are grieved by that sin; they repent and pursue restoration. God’s shepherds desire good for God’s sheep and not harm.
Whatever your ministry in the church, don’t be that kind of mentor—like the Antichrist.
Whatever your ministry in the church, be that kind of mentor—like Christ, the Shepherd and Guardian of your soul (1 Peter 2:25; cf. Psalm 23; John 10:1-18).
This blog was originally posted on Words of Grace. See the original post here.