“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my dear son:…”
-2Timothy 1:1a
I read the words above in my Bible and I wondered: ‘how many men are still addressed as son by someone out there?’
Paul addressed Timothy as “my dear son” and in that word is encompassed all Timothy was/grew to become.
Paul was Timothy’s teacher, friend, mentor and spiritual authority.
Someone who he could learn from.
Someone who had walked the paths that Timothy wanted to tread.
I would like to ask you sir, “who is your Paul?’
Who is that someone who has walked the path that you want to walk?
Who is that someone who can be a teacher over your head?
Do you have that kind of spiritual covering/mentor over your life?
Do you even desire one?
There is something God has created men with that’s a great blessing but also stands as a road block in their way and that is EGO.
Men have a natural inbuilt ‘kind of pride” built in on the inside of them.
This is great as a compass for getting to know who you are as a man in God’s sight but it is destructive when it turns into an instrument that makes you not to listen to anyone else but yourself.
Some men I have come across would say “what does he have to teach me? I know everything”.
PRIDE sliding in subtle forms.
This isn’t limited to just men but I believe that they have to watch it because the natural built-in ego in them does not need a flame to be lit. And when lit, it can burn everything in it’s path including the one who carries it if he isn’t careful.
To have a spiritual covering/mentor over one’s head requires humility – humility of heart.
This humility can be wrought in you by God. But you also have a role to play.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Â
 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:Â
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:Â
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.Â
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:Â
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;Â
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”Â
-Philippians 2:5-11
You must desire to let the mind of Christ be in you. That mind of humility, willing to obey both God and man and learn from others.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
-Philippians 2:3
For Timothy to be able to learn from Paul, he must have deferred to Paul, he must have respected him as a man who knows better than himself, who he can learn from in all humility. And as a young minister, indeed Timothy sat at Paul’s feet gleaning wisdom from him.
And so also must you as a man do.
Be willing to be humble enough to sit at the feet of a mentor God gives you and learn from him.
You do not know it all and that’s okay.
We are all susceptible to mistakes. Even your mentor has a mentor. But they understand the truth that they cannot fly solo, they have to be held accountable to someone.
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HOW TO FIND A SPIRITUAL COVERING/MENTOR:
- First thing to do is to go to God in prayer.
Ask Him to lead you to a man who has walked the path you want to embark on right now.
- Do not look to just the popular men; look for someone who can personally have time for you and pour out into your life.
He does not have to be popular, he just has to be someone who you see Jesus in his life and he is willing to personally groom you in your walk in Christ too.
- He must be someone who you can get access to quite easily. Someone who has the time of day for you.
What use is having a mentor you cannot share with?
Take a cue from the way Jesus was with his disciples, they saw Him in His very essence, in His day to day life. Jesus opened up His life to them, they didn’t just learn from His words, they learnt from His character, behavior, attitude, etc.
- He should also be preferably someone who you feel has walked your path of purpose or is walking it right now. ie, he has gone ahead of something you know God is calling you to do. This always isn’t the case but it was the case for Timothy.
If this isn’t possible, you can also have mentors for different areas of your life. Your life is made of different aspects and who’s to say that God cannot lead you to people who can groom you on these aspects per time.
- Finally, be led by God as you chose a mentor. Not by the flesh or physical statistics. He is able to lead you to that person who will call you “my son” and mean it with all his heart.
I love you all our men of God. I look forward to seeing more men living for Jesus.
Till our next post in the series,
Love,
Frances
P;S: Bro Gbile Akanni has teachings on ‘discipleship”. Please search for Him on Youtube and download those messages.
P.P.S: My book “Chastity For Men” is a FREE resource available for all men striving to please God with their sexuality.
Download HERE
P.P.S: Please share this post to our men; don’t learn alone. Thank you.
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