Do you have any influence?
The great commission found in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” is a foundational Christian belief, but it is also a model for mentorship that is being used in businesses and among professionals. Whether you are a person of faith or not, the model is one that we need in our world today. With the breakdown of the family and the lack of leadership in just about all areas of life, it stands to reason that this is going to be needed more and more. The life skills and wisdom/knowledge of how to navigate life is not being passed on to our youth. Young people are being taught individualism and entering a dog-eat-dog world.
Social media, emails and other communicating platforms such as Slack, texting or WhatsApp have taken over our communication, and it seems that our face-to-face interactions are diminishing because of the technology. I use the tools that I mentioned, and go through seasons of struggle with finding balance and needing to remain “present” with whoever I am talking to. To impact another person there needs to be more face to face interaction, not simply face-to-face interaction but purposeful interaction. I believe there are some real challenges with what is happening in the social media realm as well as the challenges of how technology is shaping our world today, especially our young people. Tim Elmore and Andrew McPeak in their book, Marching Off the Map: Inspire Students to Navigate a Brand New World, say, “We must help kids grasp new skills for the future world they’ll be living in, but also hold fast to old skills that never go out of style, such as integrity, discipline, and empathy.” (Kindle Locations 714-715) If you and I are going to have an impact on our young people, how best can we teach them these principles?
The need for mentors and coaches is becoming more and more important. I have enjoyed mentoring some young men, but maybe your situation is different. Maybe you are a bit older and see the need to impact the lives of your peers. Maybe you see the need for helping young families. What influence are you having on someone else?
Let me give you three ways you can impact others.
- Do life together:
Everyone is busy and have a lot on their plates. If you are a parent, invite your kids into your everyday activities. If you are going to the store, invite the kids along and discuss budgeting and menu planning. If you are working on a project around the house, invite your children to help. Keep in mind, sometimes perfection needs to be sacrificed for the relationship and the good of the teachable moment. By involving your children, you will help to naturally build in discipline as they see you complete and celebrate the completion of tasks. Be creative and think of ways that you can involve someone else into your everyday life activities.
"And the people you have influenced spread your influence like the ripples created after a pebble has been thrown in a pool. Influence creating influence: cause and effect."
- Live out your values
This is one of the most important things that we need to pass on to our young people today! A scary thing that Tim Elmore and Andrew Mc Peak brought out was that social media is giving individuals the opportunity to live out alternative personalities. This, I believe is creating individuals that are lost and do not have a solid foundation of who they are. A solid foundation is built through living out values like integrity, persistence and family. Do you know what your values are, and are you living them out?
- Engage young people
For many people, this is probably the scariest item on this list. It seems we are lost when it comes to interacting with young people. This may take a little work. The work comes in our approach to them and the questions we ask. Many young people today have been exposed to things that adults from previous generations were not exposed to until they were older. Because of this we need to engage them in conversations and help them process through some of the things that they are being exposed to. As appropriate, have adult conversations with them. Listen and learn who they are. You will learn more than you think!
“A great education doesn’t come from a teacher who thinks for you. It comes from a teacher who nudges you to think for yourself.”
Hunter Maats and Katie O-Brien
Who are you impacting? If you are not thinking about one or two people you would like to influence in the next year and be purposeful about connecting with, now is the time to start considering it. Be purposeful in your interactions, discipleship and mentoring of others. Do life together. Live out your values. Engage young people. By doing so, you will leave a legacy. Influencing others is one of the foundational principles to living your legacy!
What value do you see in mentoring someone?