How to Be a Mentor

These thoughts come from a wise old pastor who recently passed away. He shares two key thoughts on what it means to mentor well. His advice is relevant not just for mentoring relationships.

For a start, I can cultivate an attitude of awe...Every meeting with another person is a privilege… I have chances that many never get as easily or as frequently -- chances to spy out suppressed glory, ignored blessing, forgotten grace. I had better not miss the signs.

Second, I can cultivate an awareness of my ignorance… I must remember that I do not completely know this person nor the work of God in their lives... therefore I am not only not in control of how the meeting goes, but I need to guard against thinking I know exactly what to do in a given situation or with a certain ‘type of person.’

- Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles