Harvard University sets a standard in the area of post secondary education. With a long history of excellence in academia this institution is set apart from many other collegiate institutions in the world. Albeit an institution set high on the parameters of education, many professors at the university teach that any individual who researches, studies and experiences a topic is considered an expert in that field. An expert is any individual who is a specialist or master in their field; they are considered the highest ranking authority on the topic at hand.
For many women we have a resident expert in our lives, our mothers oftentimes rank as the highest authority in the fields of marriage, childrearing and self-esteem. We look to them to mentor us in fields of study where they may or may not be an expert. We assume they are masterful, crafty and all knowing with a diversity that fits our ever-changing society. A mother serves as a mentor for the growing process of life, she is there to assist and aid in the growth of her daughter. She teaches us about our bodies, hair, and boys. However, there are some roles that even the mother is unable to fulfill. Oftentimes we assume her role as expert in subject matters where she may have very little experience. What happens when the little girl becomes a woman? What then becomes of the daughter who is married and has a mother who was single all of her life, or the daughter who is the career woman whose mother chose to remain at home to raise her children?
These women remain empty and void, searching and seeking for the advice of others who can assist them in reaching their full potential. They are in need of a guide on the road map to success, one that can walk in the role of authoritarian on the subject matter in which they lack expertise.
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalms 27:10-13”
They are in need of a mentor, role model, and expert.
Mentors close the gap between the spaces of potential and destiny. The mentor relationship catapults an individual into their destined place through leadership, guidance and direction that would otherwise be excluded from their lives. Mentors carry the blueprint for success. Having tasted and been enlightened through their experiences the mentor succeeds where others may have failed and shares the experience allowing others to overcome opposition and learn to seize opportunity. The mentor relationship is a training class on success that cannot be measured through a grading scale.
The bible references the mentor relationship, here David responds to the real life situation listed above, he asks, what do I do Lord when my mentors who are given to me have forsaken or surpassed their premise in my life, who then do I turn to? Here David understands that although he has reached adulthood, he is not a “finished” project and is therefore in need of guidance and direction.
God honors David’s request, he states in his word that he will finish the good work which was started in you, he proclaims his promise to forever watch over you all the days of your life. Mentors are God’s help in the physical realm, those portions of our lives where we lack insight the mentor brings wisdom, promise and hope. The mentor distinguishes themselves as an assistant to the product of destiny. They invest in the future lives of others without a promise of the outcome.
Many of us are in need of a mentor. We are seeking and searching for a relationship that will guide us in reaching our goals and having a sense of accomplishment. We want our own expert opinion on the situations in our lives. Begin to seek out individuals who can mentor you. The fulfillment you will receive while allowing yourself to be submitted to a trailblazer will be priceless.
Coming Soon…
Part II – The benefits of a mentor
Part III- How to build and maintain a healthy mentor relationship
