Gospel-Centered Mentoring Believes in Christ’s Potential
#10 in the Gospel-Centered Mentoring Series
Yoda is another famous fictional mentor—the wizened green master from the Star Wars Universe. In the Empire Strikes Back, Yoda’s mentee is the whiney young warrior, Luke Skywalker, who has big dreams but little fortitude.
When Luke’s starfighter sinks into a bog, he is devastated. Yoda commands him to use the Force, a mysterious power within himself, to raise it out. After a half-hearted attempt, Luke scoffs, “You want the impossible!” Tiny, ancient Yoda then proceeds to lift that massive starfighter out of the murky depths and settle it gently on land, using only his mind. In astonishment, Luke gasps, “I don’t believe it!” And Yoda responds sagely, “that is why you fail.” It is the mic-drop moment of the movie.
A gospel-centered mentor can identify with this scene in a couple ways. Like Yoda, it is the mentor’s privilege, joy, and obligation to show mentees what is possible beyond their limited imagination (Ephesians 3:20, Mark 9:23). Like Luke, mentees occasionally lose heart because of weakness, lack of faith, or self-deception. But this is where the similarity ends.
In movies, TV shows, and novels the mentor (like Yoda, Dumbledore, Morpheus, or Obi-Wan Kenobi) always shows the mentee what is possible because of something inside him/herself. For Yoda, it is “the Force” that lives inside Luke. So, at a critical moment in the storyline, the mentor always says something like, “You just need to believe in yourself.” Or, “Dig deep and find the power within.”
Our cultures have swallowed this philosophy, feathers and all. Social Media is overrun with self-help memes; music streaming services are packed full of power-song playlists. In some recent stories (e.g., the Marvel movies), the mentor has even been jettisoned as an archaism; the self-powered superhero single-handedly overcomes her self-doubt to triumph over evil. She doesn’t need anyone, man or woman; only herself.
This “Believe in yourself” philosophy even bleeds over into Christian circles. Some Christian life coaches essentially slap a Jesus sticker on Disney philosophy, New Age memes, and the self-help aisle at Barnes and Noble. Jesus is simply the new mentor/guru who helps you believe in yourself and reach your goals. Chad Bird discerns, “The secular spiritualists and religious self-helpers of our culture would have us believe in a God who believes in us. Half cheerleader, half life coach, this ‘Jesus’ is all about our self-fulfillment and self-accomplishment, with personal happiness as our true salvation.”[1]
“Believe in yourself” encouragements sound inspirational; but they actually slap the full burden of success and failure on the mentee; if the mentee succeeds, it is because she believed in herself enough; if the mentee fails, it is because she did not believe in herself enough. Of course, in movies, TV shows, and novels, everything always works out; the mentee believes in herself and overcomes her demons. Real life is not so simple.
Missionary Paul offers a much better way than Yoda and all the other self-help gurus out there. Let’s return to Colossians 1, where Paul writes, “[Jesus] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (vv. 28,29). Notice two important concepts here. First, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is the pathway to true maturity, not believing in ourselves or even believing in the person who is mentoring us. Second, notice that Paul did NOT say, “I contend with all MY energy,” but “I contend with all the energy CHRIST so powerfully works in me!” Worldly mentors say, “I believe in you” or “you just need to believe in yourself.” Gospel-centered mentors say: “I believe in Christ’s powerful work for you and through you!” Worldly mentors say, “You can do whatever you put your mind to.” Gospel-centered mentors say, “You can do whatever Christ equips and empowers you to do in the callings he has given you.” Worldly mentors essentially imply, “The burden is all on you; if you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself.” Gospel-centered mentors say, “God does expect you to grow; but he carries that burden with you (Psalm 68:19); forgives you when you fail (1 John 1:8,9 and 3:19-21); and empowers you to try again (Philippians 2:12,13; Titus 2:11,12).”
The Potential in Mentees?
Some Christian mentors talk about the potential that God sees in mentees. They say things like “Jesus called Peter because he saw the potential in him, what Peter could become by his power.” Of course, our omniscient Lord already sees what every person will do and become (See Luke 22:31, 32 and John 21:18,19). However, the idea that Jesus chooses some people to follow and serve him because of some potential in them goes against everything we believe about grace (Romans 9:11-13; 11:5,6; Titus 3:3-7, etc.)
Well, what about Noah? Doesn’t Genesis 6:9 say that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time?” Maybe God chose him to build the ark and repopulate the earth because of the potential he saw in Noah. Not at all. Verse 5 tells us that “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” There is no reason to think that Noah alone is exempt from that damning analysis. Then, verse 8 tells us that Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” “Favor” is the first use of the word “grace” in the Bible. God chose Noah because of His grace, not because of Noah’s potential.
Or consider the tax collector Matthew. Why would Jesus pick a money-grubbing traitor to follow him? Not because he saw potential in Mathew, but because he is a God of grace, who calls sinners to repentance and showers them with forgiveness (Luke 5:31,32). Matthew was just the kind of person Jesus wanted to follow him, like the apostle Paul later, to “display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim 1:16).
Sometimes, when people talk about the disciples, like Matthew, they emphasize the greatness of their commitment to Jesus—“Matthew left everything to follow Jesus; how committed are you?” But what made a wealthy, successful, corrupt, and uncompassionate man like Matthew give up everything? It wasn’t the greatness of his faith; it was the object of that faith.
Scripture goes out of its way to show us what little potential God saw in people but how he showed them grace and worked powerfully through them anyways. That does not mean that Jesus ignores the strengths and experiences he has given people; however, these are the never the reason he chooses them for doing great things—as if he didn’t have the gift of strategy, parenting, or evangelism and needed our help to accomplish his work.
Gospel-centered mentors certainly help mentees understand their strengths, values, and experiences so they can develop wise plans for maturing. However, they continually point mentees back to Christ’s potential, the one who “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20) in spite of our sin and frailty.
Next: Gospel-Centered Appreciates the Complexity of People
[1] Bird, Chad. Upside-Down Spirituality (p. 15). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
I enjoyed reading this. It encapsulates that idea that we are the clay and God is the potter. Believing in yourself means little if you do not believe in the object of your faith or the goal you are running after.
This stood out to me and is very true:
“ However, they continually point mentees back to Christ’s potential, the one who “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20) in spite of our sin and frailty. “
In our weaknesses, we can rest assured because of the strength of Christ available to keep moving ✅