Mastership of Character

Chapter Thirteen

 Mastership of Character

Moment by moment, Mentor as if each moment was your last. Be the best that you can be. Please remember that the child whom you are Mentoring is not capable of your level of mastery.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 25

Can you master the art of Mentoring in such a way that your mastery allows you to remain patient and still while the person you are Mentoring appears clueless? A large part of the Mentoring Relationship involves faith. If your heart is in the right place, your genuineness will make a difference in someone's life; whether you see evidence or not.

The wick of a candle appears motionless and inactive. Capillary action causes the wick to be in a "ready state" for a flame. You may not be the Mentor who lights the flame of response in a child. You might only be influencing the current of understanding that will eventually flow into action. You are invaluable regardless of when the children will shine. It might be 40 years from now! A Mentor's job is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to the capillary action of character illumination. Your student is a sponge who will soak up your actions and then squeeze them out in their actions.

Mentoring metaphors with an oil lamp are endless. Sometimes you are the oil of gladness flowing into a depressed and wounded soul. Your words and attitude spark a light of comfort in the darkness of confusion. You are the wick that stands straight and tall allowing character to flow through you. I find that the greatest part of being a Mentor is seeing the light of understanding in a young person's eyes when the oil of unconditional love flows through the wick in their heart.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 25

One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen parents make is trying to make their children follow their own failed dreams. The inability to accomplish mastery in their own lives becomes a weight in their children's lives. A Mentor is no different. You must reconcile any of your own failed attempts at mastery. Please let them go and focus on what is important for the young person you are Mentoring.

There are parents who wanted to be policemen and lost their opportunity. They try and lead their children into being policemen when their children want nothing to do with that vocation. The Mission Statement for Youth With A Purpose Inc is a good template to use regarding children:

"All children are gifted.

We exist to identify, nurture, protect and empower children

to use their gifts to become the world changers

that God meant them to be."

True mastery of anything begins with self focus. Examine your own strengths and weaknesses. You will always be weak in some areas. Do not sacrifice strength to improve a weakness, you may end up mired in mediocrity. A Mentor's goal with a young person should be to help them attain mastery over their character. 

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.