Mentors

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov 22:6)

Mentors are guides who offer advice to help others develop into their likeness. Mentoring is a form of training that involves the development of character, abilities, and lifestyle. Therefore, a strong relationship and mutual commitment are typically required. Willet is the principal mentor who assists Tom’s development into a Son of Light. Although Willet is not a Son of Light, he has many traits, knowledge and abilities that enable him to help Tom. Tom’s love of reading a wide variety of books formed the basis for a strong bond of friendship with Willet. This behavior also brought them together because the others in their village considered them strange. The villagers did not understand their desire to seemingly waste time reading and discussing books that had no practical value. Willet realized that Tom was unusual and so he encouraged him and shared his passion for reading. Their book discussions were special times to share their views and develop or reinforce common values.

Willet is a father figure who shares Tom’s interests and meets his needs in different ways than those provided by his natural father. Throm teaches Tom farming skills that will help him to provide for his physical needs. Willet teaches Tom about things that stimulate his imagination which ultimately leads him into another world. Willet joins Tom after he discovers a world that was thought to be fantasy. He teaches Tom about history, creatures, and important beings so that Tom can understand this different world. This knowledge is critical in orienting Tom and putting him on the path of discovering his identity and role as a Son of Light. Willet leads Tom to a secret place called Hadrian’s Keep where he is trained in military skills by dwarves. He is also taught secrets known only to dwarves. Tom forms new friendships that further his development in ways that Willet could not.

Like Tom, my spiritual development has taken many mentors and years. A deacon from a Bible based church, who worked with me, led me to faith in Jesus. We spent several years together studying the Bible as we carpooled to and from work. This accelerated my spiritual growth by helping me understand my new identity and what was expected of me. After corporate downsizing ended this relationship, I became a member of a small Bible study group. This enabled me to learn from multiple people. ?This experience affirmed core beliefs and taught me the importance of fellowship with other believers. Worship was intensified. Prayers were shared and answered. There was accountability. There was love and commitment that drew us together as a family. ?Some years later I joined the Gideons where several older Christians mentored me during weekly prayer meetings.? These men came from various denominations, yet they were passionate about expanding the kingdom of God through distributing the Bible. They gave me a greater vision for the kingdom of God that transcended denominations, nations, and ethnic groups. Then there was a weekly prayer group that met for breakfast before going to work. This group met for years during which I saw how God answered many prayers based on persistent prayers over a shared list. After forty-five years of spiritual growth, I am still growing. However, I find myself driven to teach and mentor others.

The Holy Spirit is the ultimate mentor. He indwells born-again Christians and changes their thinking (Rom 12:1-2). This process called sanctification changes the character of believers (Gal 5:22). These changes shift our views and concerns from ourselves to God and others. The Holy Spirit enables spiritual growth that is tailored to each born-again believer. Therefore, it occurs at various rates and so it is variable like physical growth among people. The presence of the Holy Spirit within believers is a power that unites and strengthens them. Like the Sons of Light, Christians are a diverse group chosen by God. There is a bond forged by the common presence of the Holy Spirit. This bond of the physical family is special because God has created and placed each member in it. This is even more true of born-again Christians who have been chosen to be part of an eternal family as the Bride and Body of Christ. In The Past and Future King, the Creator shows his will and his pleasure through glowing seeing stones. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is like an internal light that inspires worship and good works which bring honor to God. Also, miracles and answered prayers are like the light from the seeing stones showing God’s presence and his will.

?Angels are guides who minister to born-again Christians (Heb 1:13-14). There are different ranks of authority and power among angels. They also have different roles and responsibilities. Elves and fairies are like angels in that they are spirit beings who became incarnate creatures sent by the Creator to look after humans. Cearl appears several times when Tom, Throm and Heidi enter his world. His role is to guide and protect humans from Throm’s household. Etain is a fairy whose role is to carry messages that contain revelations. She warns Wini and Tom about Andhun and she reports the loss of a seeing stone during the Battle of the Darach Trees. In the Bible, the angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus and explains the meaning of Daniel’s visions. ?

One of my favorite mentors in The Past and Future King is Sir Egric. He is an elf lord who was killed fighting orcs in the battle in the Forest of Mordula. The spirit of Sir Egric enters Tom when he puts on his armor. This indwelling is so intimate that the elf Lord Prince Caelin calls Tom, Sir Egric, when he meets him for the first time. Prince Caelin can see the presence of Sir Egric within Tom in the future. His great joy at this vision prompts him to call Tom by a name that is not yet associated with him. The spirit of Sir Egric speaks to Tom’s mind like the Holy Spirit does to born-again Christians. He guides and empowers Tom with superhuman abilities in times of crisis. Tom calls upon Sir Egric for help when he faces the demon possessed Haggert during a duel for his seeing stone. Those watching hear him and think that he is invoking the name of a personal god for help. However, Egric is not a god which is evident by his limited strength in helping Tom raise a massive gate during the battle for Lochlemond. Sir Egric’s spirit departs from Tom when his mentorship of Sir Egric is complete and Tom becomes a Son of Light. Tom and the other Sons of Light learn to rely directly upon the presence and power of the Creator through the seeing stones. Tom eventually faces Devlin without Egric’s help. However, Sir Egric is not far away when this happens. He is resurrected with many other elves who were slain and rest in a vast cemetery in Dinwald’s Deep. These resurrected elves defeat Devlin’s army and usher in a new age where the Creator dwells with his creatures. Every born-again Christian needs mentors and needs to mentor others. This is part of our call by Jesus to go and make disciples of men. (Mt 28:18-20) Do you have a mentor?