Over the span of my life, one of the things I am most thankful for are those men from whom I have been able to learn about life. In high school, it was my father and my youth pastor. These men taught me what it meant to work hard and to pursue God with passion.
In college, I had various men who helped to guide me, providing wisdom that a young, knuckle-headed guy both needed and did not always know he needed.
And these days, I benefit from relationships with older men both in and outside of ministry who are willing to teach me about life, manhood, faithfulness, and ultimately provide a perspective that I would otherwise lack. For these men, I am very grateful.
With regard to these mentors, I have three suggestions for young men like myself.
1. **Pursue men who love God and whom you respect.** One of the reasons many young men don’t have these types of mentor relationships is simply because they have never pursued them. Who are those people who you think you would like to learn from?
2. **Stop talking and listen.** Learning means listening. Think of some important questions you want to ask, and then ask. Then listen to their response. Don’t worry about talking or impressing.
3. **Take notes. Then read those notes. Then apply those notes.** Taking notes serves two purposes. First it helps you remember what you hear and learn. And second it shows your mentor that you care enough to pay attention. But don’t stop at just taking notes. Read them later. Let them sink in.
4. **And as a bonus, learn to ask, “what are my weaknesses” and listen honestly.** It’s a very tough thing to ask someone to tell you what they see as your weaknesses. And it’s even more difficult to listen through that process. But God gives grace to those who humbly accept wisdom (Cf. Prov. 3:34).
It is not easy to ask for help, especially when to do so is to admit weakness or failure. But when we are able to think soberly and rightly about ourselves, God is able to use us more effectively than otherwise.
What have you learned from others?