"Mentor"

I once knew a cowboy,

Who had all the skills,

Of working cows and horse,

He could get it done, no frills.

Not a braggart nor a know-it-all,

Just a hand who knew his stuff,

Did what he was asked to,

And known to be real tough.

But there was something else about him,

That some just didn’t know,

He took the time to teach me,

And the cowboy way to show.

You hold your rope just this way,

And ‘course it’s hard and fast,

Tied to that old saddle horn,

Each time that it was cast.

You use your legs he’d tell me,

Stay off that pony’s mouth,

He’d learned it on big ranches,

All across the south

He didn’t go to church too much,

But his word was gold you see,

He gave me an example,

Of the man I ought to be.

And maybe he’s the first one,

Who cowboyed yet lived right,

And I have not forgot him,

Though for years now gone from sight.

We remember those who showed us,

Some encouragement we need,

Who took the time to teach us,

And plant a helpful seed.

God bless all the mentors,

Who made us who we are,               

And may we pass along the same,          

And always raise the bar.

“Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Provers 27:17, NAS)

God uses people to shape our lives. Some especially are sent to “sharpen” us in the right direction. Best case, they give us both support and accountability. They do not judge us but they also do not excuse us. They speak the truth in love, an become those who are safe enough to have transparency. These will bear our burdens with us, pray us through difficulty, and give us a soft place to land when we’ve fallen. God has not called us to be lone rangers. He’ raising up a posse.

Lord, help us sharpen each other, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.