The benefits of tutoring
“My son, if you receive my words, and treasure up my commandments within you, incline your ear to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding…” Proverbs 2:1
The book of Proverbs is a recorded book of the truths of practical life that were spoken. Originally, the context was a royal court stage. Solomon gave his teacher’s instruction to the students, sitting together on marble benches or strolling through the lush courtyards, dispelling the wisdom learned from him with stories and dictation. The general idea was to pass on the wisdom of existing leadership to future emerging leaders.
Other times, this mentoring occurred in the home, like a father speaking softly with wisdom to his children.
Business success advocates understand the benefits of mentoring. Managers and senior officials provide their business wisdom to their trainees in training sessions, internships, and conferences. The methods used to nurture young recruits in the business world are myriad and can be found everywhere, online and in classrooms.
Most of today’s great athletes have personal mentors. Choose any sport and watch the best players; You’ll find that everyone uses a personal trainer or mentor to help them perfect their soccer catch, golf swing, or tennis serve. Many hire mentors to build their confidence and mental toughness even more than their physical ability.
It is much less common to see mentoring in spiritual matters or wise living matters. This is unfortunate. Surely men and women need mentors in their spiritual life more than any other area of life.
Solomon had this great gift from God: wisdom beyond all who have lived and will live, and he did the right thing with it: he passed it on. His love for sharing wisdom is the reason we have the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
Solomon did not let his failures stop him from sharing what he knew to be true. Trust me, Solomon had a lot of failures. Like every man.
People tend to think that because they have failed in life, they have no right to teach others what they know. When a man looks at his life and reflects on divorcing him, he may think that he could never tell another man how to have a good marriage. Or he might think that because he has experienced some major losses due to his addictions, he could never tell another man how to avoid the things that try to control him.
The truth is these men have every reason to share what they know!
We have all failed. And sometimes, the things in which we have failed the most are the same things that we understand best.
I once went through bankruptcy. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. For a guy who prided himself on paying off all his debts early and working incredibly hard all the time (even when everyone else was gambling), going broke and being as broke as an old crock. absolutely devastating.
But now I know what it feels like. I understand how making decisions before doing extensive research is a paved road to failure. I understand how stupid pride can make a smart man do stupid and crazy things. And I also know that there are some circumstances for which there is no solution, and no matter how hard a man tries, sometimes he just can’t fix things.
I know these things because I made enough stupid mistakes to go bankrupt and lose everything I had worked for two decades to achieve.
But now I know.
And when I meet a guy facing financial disaster, I can speak to him with wisdom. Wisdom from the reality of experience, not theory, pious talk. I can speak to the heart of that man.
I recently encouraged a younger friend of mine to sell a completely unnecessary item that he had purchased. He argued with me. He told me that it made sense for him to keep it.
Since he had been in his shoes before, he knew he needed to sell that thing. I absolutely knew and I told him multiple times. Finally she agreed and sold it.
Fast forward a couple of months and you found yourself in a situation where you needed extra money and you were so glad you sold the unnecessary and expensive item.
Although I would never tell him, I have had the tremendous satisfaction of seeing him take my advice and escape from the trouble he had already been through!
Not only do students benefit greatly from mentoring, but mentors experience the benefits of mentoring in a completely different way. It is immensely satisfying.
Mentoring is a way for older or more experienced men to take younger, less experienced men under their wing and guide them in the right direction. Solomon did this, and how hurt were those whom he counseled. He understood the benefits of mentoring.
If you are young, I can tell you that one of the best things you can do is find a mentor. Find one! Don’t stop until you do. Make sure this person is someone you admire for the right reasons. Make sure that he has integrity, that he has lived fully, and that he has sincere faith in God.
If you’re an older man or woman, and you’ve lived long enough to experience life’s ups and downs, you’ve bumped into a lot of debris along the way but found your way through it, you’ve taken a few wrong turns but endured the evidence of getting back on track, and having kept God’s Word as your guide through it all, then do someone a great favor and find a young man or woman who needs guidance. Give them a little of your life. Spend time showing them how to make decisions, how to recover from serious mistakes, and how to make life better than before…and you will have lived for a higher purpose.
The benefits of mentoring are enormous and one of life’s greatest blessings, both for the receiver and the giver.