WHO DO YOU MENTOR

(a reflection from the first reading of the Roman Catholic Church Today 26/06/2016)

Today is the 13th Sunday In Ordinary Time (Catholic Calendar) I choose to be bias by  taking this reflection with much emphasis on the 1st reading alone. From the first book of Kings Chapter 19 verse16b and verses19 to 21, the first reading reads thus:
"The LORD said to Elijah: 'You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel–meholah, as prophet to succeed you.' Elijah set out and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, 'Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.' Elijah answered, 'Go back! Have I done anything to you?' Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Let us attempt a synthesis using the characters of Saul and David+Elijah and Elisha. David and Elisha have one unique thing here, They are both successors. However, While Elijah had his way to his testing on a yomi yomi smooth path, David had it through the most boiling oil road. Why the difference between the two (David and Elisha)? simply put; the character of their predecessors.

Elijah Today depict to us the symbol of a good leader and mentor. It was revealed him, 'hey, your job here is over, now you have to bring to the fore he who is to succeed you in this service. note that the role of Elijah is the most respected in his society. It is no doubt a position many will like. Bring it to this generation it is a position many will like no one succeed them from but their children or relatives. But Elisha simply went, picked Elisha as the Lord ordered with no sign or a squeezed face that we can see.

Soul on the other hand loved and cherished David from the beginning, but the moment he SUSPECTED 'possibly this lad will be celebrated where I should' he suddenly turned David's doom. I could emerging Saul saying 'I must frustrate and chest him away, I must ensure I put the last nail on his coffin to secure my position and respect'.

While Elijah saw the chance of mentoring his successor more properly by drawing him closer before the final handing over day, Saul saw his as a conspiracy may be between God and the house of Jessy to relief him of his dignified position as king. He would rather use the opportunity he has of drawing David closer and mentor him into fulling what his (Saul's) mortal life had rendered unaccomplished to drawing David closer enough to the reach of his (Saul's) sword.

This  day, Elijah is challenging us all. we have heard and read of leaders who would use all within their powers to destroy anyone they sense a potential of competing with them in the future. Sadly enough, this does not happens only in the circular world but also in the church. This attitude is equally exhibited in all spheres of life. Worst is in the Political arena and the 'Gospel' room.

What is the effect? Today in our society hardly would the best make it to the base, huddles are set for them by the same fellows that should develop them into fully actualizing their potentials. Today to make it up the ladder you must bury your potentials which would either result into the fellow completely killing this potentials God have freely given him or if eventually he is in the position, he or she is unable to perform to his worth because the time he should use in developing this potentials he had used in hiding the potential, the time it should be developed and put to use, he is now using it for developing, the time he should be counting results and taking a rest, that is when these potentials are ready for use.

The result of this is what southern Kaduna and Nigeria is today suffering. The Isiah Balats, Yakowas, Ali Madaki, Joshua Madaki, the Military Gen. Zamani Lekwot, M. Luther Agwai to mention but these is gone. Who is taking over from these mighty men of old. Today, where is that one fellow that was trained or mentored by one of the above mentioned (particularly in Politics) to take after them. Well all thanks to Jushua Mamman Madaki for the Bantex of today aas unverifiably I learned. But as at now, who else to we have powerful enough to contest for the Governorship of Kaduna State come 2019 from here that was mentored by those we hoped for.

Permit me say without mentorship there is no progress to hope for. But with mentorship, continuity is sure and so, progress. I have had many who had given me reasons not to read books like Davincci Code, 48 Laws of power and the likes with a claim that they corrupt the mind. Hello! no one, I mean no one have given me a reason not to believe the Law No 1 in 48 Laws of power "Never overshadow your master". Because I live in a society where to display your potentials in training is your passport to failure, dead of your dreams and sometimes dead of you.

On the church the effect is terrible. Today it is much more easy for the most corrupt and wrong intentioned fellow to make it in the 'business' of the gospel as they see it. He with no good intention is likely to own his church and progress much more easily than the one with a positive mind set. But for Christ's eyes on the church one would be right to say the FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IS DARK. However without a turn around, I fear the future since it is not only the problem of no mentorship in the Christian fold but that of bad mentorship. Little wonder the CHURCH IS FAST BECOMING WORLDLY AND THE WORLD IS MORE FASTER BECOMING CHURCHY with many churches in almost every conner but God is not heard as loud as the should of music or announcement for call of financial support.
Ask yourself today as I have asked my self and is disappointed by the answers I got.

1. Am I a mentor?
2. what sort of a mentor am I?
3. How effective is mentorship?