An Inconvenient Love (Mentoring)

I was at the mac store yesterday after senior high guys bible study and I asked one of the tech guys if I could somehow sync my blackberry with the iCal (calendar program) on the macbook. I already knew the answer to that question because Blazer told me the answer hours earlier but I was looking for some loophole to make like easier and more convenient. If I had a calendar that synced to my phone, then all I would need to do is update appointments on my laptop and within seconds, my phone would be in step with the rest of my life. Some of you may be thinking “You’re the youth guy....what do you actually do throughout the week?” That question is tough for me to be honest with you - because I love the children and youth of our church.

So, at the Apple Store I realized I was trying to make my life easier. I can make my life easier at almost any time. But, that doesn’t mean that the choices I/we make are the most beneficial for ourselves and those we love, but we can do it. And I don't know about you, but I often feel over-committed. So what? When do followers of Jesus get to the point in their lives when true love for others (according to Jesus, the second greatest command) is dependent upon convenience? When does it become clearer, easier?

This can include anything from loving families, neighbors, enemies and even loving those in our church by serving in certain ministries that bless them. I know I easily fall into the trap of loving out of convenience rather than loving because of Jesus and so I’ve started to ask myself the question, “Really?”

* Do I really not have the time to meet up with someone who’s hurting because I need to spend time with my family? Or is it because I had a long day and just want to watch tv?
* Do I really need to back out of some specific church ministry? Am I that busy, or is it easier to quit the church thing than to even think about how I got here in the first place?
* Do I really not want to talk to my neighbors because I’m too busy, or because it takes more effort than I wish to use up?

There are more “really” questions. I assume you struggle with them also. We try to say we love because He first loved us, but when push comes to shove - what’s the excuse in your back pocket? Mine is busyness and fatigue. Really? The only motivation we need and should be satisfied with in terms of why we do anything is because of Christ. He’s more than enough for me to love others when it’s inconvenient. I pray that I will really believe this. I pray that you will really believe this.

-Simon

Blood Sport: Love

I vaguely remember some aspects of my childhood but some stand out more than others. One such standout is the movie “Bloodsport.” Who can resist Jean-Claude Van Dam jumping in the air while dispensing a various array of kicks and ninja moves? He wants to defend the honor of his good friend who tragically was murdered in the kumite by a Korean haus and win for his master who trained him during his youth (sounds very typical 80s to me). The thing that stands out , besides the ninja moves and the Korean guy losing, is the bond between Frank Dukes (JVD) and his Master. This martial arts master trains Frank physically, emotionally, and mentally to achieve an end goal. What does it mean to mentor?

When I was a teenager, I remember the man who walked along side me during high school and “lived life” with me. He was my youth pastor, Brian Burkey, and I could tell that although it was his role to be my youth pastor, there was something different in the way we interacted. Brian cared about my spiritual growth but his focus wasn’t about changing my behavior, it wasn’t about training me to be a leader in my youth group, it was about loving me well when my faults and sins were known to him. Brian is a mentor. He is a man who loved and cared for me, first and foremost, like one of his own kids and was transparent enough to show me his own shortcomings. He wasn’t a “Superman” type figure in my life but a broken man who loved me in a real way. His love for me was a means to no end. In relationships of actual love there is no agenda – especially at the beginning.

What would it look like for the Riverside family to embrace mentoring? Is it possible for us to do it, not as a means to an end but through “living life together” as our starting point? Wouldn’t mentoring then be a natural outgrowth? It’s easy to talk a big game and use this term “living life”, and in this way we definitely ‘talk the talk’ at Riverside! But, mentoring requires us to move beyond just teaching and training and engage the issues of life. That’s what Jesus did. He lived day in and day out with his disciples and his main message to them was to love God first and foremost and love other people. Do you think Jesus spent 18-20 hours a day only teaching and telling parables? Jesus laughed with people, cried with those who were broken, got excited about doing certain things, and probably told a few zingers himself. What I’m trying to say is that mentoring should not be our focus…but love. When we love people well we will naturally become a mentoring community.

Brian and I continue to meet up and have a close friendship. He’s like a second father to me in almost every way. I don’t think we would still be hanging out 10 years after I graduated from youth group if his focus wasn’t love.

PS - did you know Blood Sport is based upon a true story? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodsport_(film)

-Simon Kim