Paul, Timothy and Silas
This past Sabbath we heard from Brother Caleb on the roles of friend, mentor, and student as shown through the lives of Paul, Timothy and Silas. All three of these roles are crucial to our everyday lives as we find ourselves in each of those roles at some point, often many times.
The first role is Paul:Mentor. Acts chapter 22 highlights some key characteristics of what makes a Yah-centered mentor. Mentors and teachers need to be well versed in what they are teaching. Paul learned under other believers and studied the Old Testament and Law thoroughly. It allowed him to relate better to Jews and help gentiles understand about Yahshua. People in mentorship type roles need to stand behind their teachings and beliefs 100% or it destroys their credibility. Another thing Paul did really well was to call out others who were walking in sin. Throughout Paul’s letters he calls out false teachers, prophets and leaders and warns others about them. Finally, Paul was honest. He had a difficult past where he imprisoned and killed many believers. He does not shy away from his past or pretend it doesn’t exist, instead Paul embraces it. We are all sinful beings and acting like we are perfect is living a lie. Good mentors acknowledge their past mistakes, but also address how to learn and move on from them.
The next role is of Timothy or student. Timothy was a young man, most likely in his 20s. He was put in charge of starting and pastoring a church under the mentorship of Paul. It's also important to note that people should never stop learning no matter how old they are. However, as a young man, Timothy needed some guidance and counseling. Proverbs 12:1 talks about taking correction. As people, our pride often gets in the way of receiving correction and advice. Godly mentors should not allow someone to continue walking in sin or making the same mistakes, and as students we should be willing to listen and learn. Students and developing believers need to have a hunger for Yahweh. Our life will not always be easy so it takes a determination to follow the path Yahweh has set before us. With that being said, it is also crucial that we have a strong foundation. A strong faith in Yahweh needs to have an equally sturdy foundation.
Finally, there is the role of Silas or friend. Silas accompanied Paul during what’s known as his second missionary trip. Days into their trip Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown into prison for teaching about Yahshua (Acts 16:22-25). A true friend stays during hard times. It would have been easy for Silas to give up after that, but he stuck with Paul the rest of the trip. Friends are meant to support and encourage each other. During their night in prison Paul and Silas are singing to Yahweh. They are encouraging each other and reminding each other of why they are there in the first place. It is important that friends are equally yoked (Proverbs 27:17). Friends should challenge you and help reinforce your foundation in Yahweh.
Think about what kind of mentor, student and friend you want to be!
