"Unlikely Mentors"

My kids and I have always been  huge Walt Disney fans,  so when they were young, we watched many movies on a regular basis from our extensive collection.    One movie in particular was called "Treasure Planet."  This movie was unique to me in that the main character was a boy that had no girlfriend, was not looking for a girlfriend, but he a little messed up and it showed up by him  riding his space-board and getting in trouble with the law.  His mother who was at ends as to how to help him, was tired and unsure of her single parent abilities. The boy ended up being mentored by someone who was the MOST UNLIKELY candidate, a criminal, a pirate who was looking for treasure. The turns and twists of the movie leaves you understanding that the pirate was actually a good guy, with a huge heart, his choices and associates in life kept him in the behavior he was in, and  it was all he knew.   But in the midst of all his wrong, he did something very right.  He mentored a child.

LIKELY MENTORS

 Mentors are basically defined as a experienced or trusted adviser.  When we think of mentors, or look for one, we often think of people who have gone through something and have come out on top, someone we respect who is where we want to be- or they are headed there.  We think of good people who look and act the part that society celebrates.  Sometimes we seek out mentors because they  have reached a level of success and now they are wanting to return something to their community, to a group  or a possibly a targeted individual.  We see this in sports and in business, in churches and even in education.  People look for mentors, someone who can help them with insight and direction in any given area.   Mentors are needed, they are valuable and if you get a good one, you will never forget them.  

UNLIKELY MENTORS

In life we may run into people who don't really have it all together.  They may be good people, but some things are just a hindrance in their life. I recently saw a post about a young man who lived a difficult life.  He was involved in gangs and looked the part of someone you would avoid. He spent days now volunteering for a local charity and working with a group of people at his church.    When he gave his life to Christ, he was covered with tattoos and piercings,  His outward man was a mess, but his heart was God's. 

One day he was asked to speak to a group, and he was so nervous.  He didn't know what he could say to them, they were different than he was, they had not lived a life of pain that he did.  Yet he was a great father and he was a  believer, that alone qualified him to speak. That day he became an unlikely mentor.   See we often like to receive from people who look like where we want to be.  It is hard to look up to who you look down on, but there are people who love like Jesus loves, they care like He cares and the life they survived is part of what taught them to do it. 

You may be one of those people or you may know some.  They may be like this young man, a gang member, an ex con, prostitute, drug addict, drug dealer or more.  They could have a past that would scare anyone, but if they are connected with God, there is no telling what we can learn from them.  Be aware of people around you, no telling what valuable lessons and insight they hold.   If it is you, learn to shine... take the lessons of your life and allow others to benefit from your mistakes and your lessons learned.  We are all here for a reason, sharing and helping others is just one part of it, no matter how unlikely.