I have long been an advocate for mentoring. There’s nothing like someone with more life experience coaching and encouraging a willing learner through some of the lessons of life. That’s a principle that works well in all areas of life. I’ve been the beneficiary of some great mentoring opportunities, on both sides of the table. my wife is one of the best mentors that I know, and usually has a list of young women waiting to buy her coffee in exchange for some of her time and wisdom.
Seth Barnes has written some great posts on mentoring. Go to his site and click the links for Discipling or Spiritual Coaching to learn more. Honestly, it’s worth your time.
Levi got to experience some mentoring today. We happen to live in the shadow of Beaver Stadium, the home of Penn State football. Over the past few years, a number of standout athletes have attended our church. We’ve been privileged to get to know them off the field, and it’s been encouraging to see how their faith shapes the way they live.
9th grade football has kicked into gear for Levi. There are over 70 young men vying for spots on the field, and Levi has been moved from offensive tackle to center. I shot a quick note to PSU lineman Stefen Wisniewski to see if he’d be interested in spending a little time with Levi. Wis responded within minutes, and we ventured over to the PSU practice facility today for about an hour of 1 on 1 work with him.
photo by Benedict Samuel, for the Daily Collegian
He was great with Levi! He took the time seriously, gave some great instruction, and made Levi feel like a young man with potential. I don’t know what he gave up to spend time with my son, but that gift is invaluable to me, and to Levi. They worked on all kinds of things from the mental approach to the stance, from footwork to the shotgun snap. Levi ate it up, and as we walked back to the truck, Levi was beaming.
I am grateful for Wis–grateful that he’d give up study/nap/food time to hang out with my son, teaching him some of the skills he’s learned from the game. But do you know what’s even more meaningful? Levi knows that Wis loves Jesus, that his faith is real, and that he lives his life with Kingdom priorities in mind. I doubt that Levi will end up being 6’3″, 306 pounds. He may not ever have a 3.9 GPA at PSU, may never be a pre-season All American, headed for the NFL.
But if he can learn a few things about following Jesus from men like Wis, that’s a win from my perspective.
For a great article on what matters to Stefen, click here.
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