Joe Paterno's name seems to echo everywhere this week. Maybe it's because I'm on a college campus in the South where football is a big deal. Maybe it's because the news likes to bring up old dirt when someone dies. Regardless, his name seems to be in the air.
For those of you who don't know, Joe Paterno was the former head football coach at Penn State. This past year, there was question about his character when the "Penn State sex abuse scandal" hit the news. I will let you read the articles on that and let you make the decision for yourself as to who is to blame. Dirt aside, one friend described him to me as "someone who took young boys and made them into men--men who are great fathers and husbands in America because of the influence he had on their lives." Paterno didn't just teach football; he taught the guys valuable life lessons, such as "Do the little things right. Don't cut corners" (Maisel). Paterno was a mentor--a life coach--not someone who just coached football.
This story reminded me of one that is closer to me. A close friend of mine, one who God has drawn very close to my heart, introduced me to his mentor, Andrew, in October. Immediately, I could see that the Lord had a very strong hold of Andrew. There was joy, not just happiness, in his life. There was a sparkle in his eye that wasn't based on the fact that his situation was great. Even his laugh seemed to point to the fact that he had cast all of his cares upon the Lord and had a peace that passed all understanding. As the Lord continued to draw my friend closer and closer to my heart, I learned of his friendship with Andrew. He looks up to Andrew so much; he learned how to love the way God loves us, without biases, through Andrew. He learned what it means to run the race with perseverance, even if that means that all the people on your hall think you're a "Jesus freak." He learned what it means to seek the Lord in all that he does through Andrew's mentoring. Even though I may have only spent half a dozen times with Andrew, I feel that I know him so well in hearing my friend's stories about how Andrew has touched his life. I will forever be grateful to Andrew for allowing God to use him in my friend's life. I truly believe that the man who God has drawn close to my heart is who he is today because the Lord used Andrew in his life.
Mentors are very important in life. Don't believe me? Take a look.
Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."
Proverbs 13:20 "Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble."
Proverbs 12:15 "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others."
Proverbs 11:14 "Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers."
1 Samuel 3--Samuel learns how to have a personal relationship with God because of Eli's instructions.
Still not convinced? Try this one--Luke 5:1-11. Jesus calls Simon Peter to be his disciple, a.k.a. Jesus will be his mentor.
Just like my friend's life has been changed and impacted by Andrew, so were the lives of the disciples altered by Jesus's influence in their life. Who is impacting your life in a positive way? Who can you go and talk with about things the Lord is doing in your life? Whose life is the Lord using you in to draw them closer to Himself? Are you so close to God that people can tell by the sparkle in your eye, the joy in your life and even your laugh?
If you don't have someone, seek them out. Because who wants to be dull, called a fool, and fail as a nation because there is a lack of leadership?
P.S. Andrew has recently graduated and leaves soon to go Ecuador for a few months. He will be teaching English as a second language and looks forward to the opportunity to share the Gospel with the people there. Will you pray for him with me as he follows the Lord to a foreign country?
Maisel, Ivan. "Joe Paterno's football family pays tribute" http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/44410/joe-paternos-football-family-pays-tribut
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