Passing It On: Growing Your Future Leaders (30 page)

Mentors will never mentor an unwilling, uncommitted,
unsubmitted
mentee. One of the most graphic examples of this principle is the succession account of the great biblical prophet Elijah
and the mentoring of his successor, Elisha.

The first action taken in the story of Elijah and his relationship with Elisha was the indication of Elijah of his willingness
to mentor Elisha.

1 Kings 19:15–21
The L
ORD
said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.
Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving
the twelfth pair. Elijah
went up to him and threw his cloak around him
. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come
with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook
the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

This account of mentorship and succession offers lessons for the twenty-firstcentury leader that may save many organizations
from ruin. Let us look a little closer at this powerful story.

First, Elijah, the senior in the relationship, came intentionally to seek Elisha for mentorship training, as he was directed
(see 1 Kings 19:16).

Then Elijah chooses Elisha for mentoring: “Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him” (1 Kings 19:19). This act
signified the mentor
was choosing the mentee or bestowing on him the mantle of authority. However, the
choosing
was not
pursuing
. It was an invitation for the mentee to pursue. Elisha did not respond with commitment at first, even though the cloak signaled
that he was chosen as a mentee and potential successor. So Elijah did not pursue Elisha, but went on his way. Elisha’s parents
were his priority. He returned home and continued to be with his family for a while. In essence, Elijah and Elisha did not
yet have a mutual mentor/mentee agreement. Elisha wanted to put other things first. “Elisha then left his oxen and ran after
Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,’ he said, ‘and then I will come with you’ ” (1 Kings 19:20). Here, we see
a lack of commitment to enter the agreement and make the necessary sacrifice to be mentored.

Elijah recognizes that Elisha is not ready. “ ‘Go back,’ Elijah replied. ‘What have I done to you?’ So Elisha left him and
went back” (1 Kings 19:20–21). We see that Elijah rejected Elisha to test him for commitment, dedication, and interest. Elijah
could have insisted or run after Elisha. Eventually, Elisha did something that is symbolic of what all true mentees have to
do. “He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people,
and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant” (1 Kings 19:21).

We see by these acts the ultimate sacrifice, commitment, and dedication to the mentor, which are the foundation of the mutual
agreement necessary for mentoring to take place. This is the fulfillment of the second side of mentorship: the mentee pursuing
the mentor. We see Elijah finally accepting Elisha when he demonstrated his commitment by his sacrifice.

Elisha came back with the right attitude. He burned his plow, sold his farm, and barbecued the ox. He showed up at Elijah’s
door with nothing. By his submission, he implied, “I am ready to be mentored by you. Whatever you want me to do, I’m ready.”

Elijah, in effect, says, “Now you can come with me, and if you stay with me, you will get the power. You will get the ministry.
You will get the company because now it is clear you are ready to serve me.” Notice that
Elisha came as an “attendant.” This word means bond servant—one who was marked to be with his master forever.

Elijah accepted him. Elisha’s burning of the oxen and the selling of the farm were the keys to his being qualified for becoming
the successor. As long as he had the farm and oxen, he was not completely committed or dedicated. Elisha would know that he
would always have something on which to fall back in case things did not work out with Elijah. Wherever there is an alternative
or option, there can never be full commitment and dedication to the first objective. This is why, in my experience, marriages
with prenuptial agreements hardly ever work out. The agreement is “an escape clause,” dividing the spoils should the marriage
end. Commitment and dedication is not possible where an option for escape exists.

Until he surrendered everything, Elisha always would have had a fallback position. He could run back home. When Elijah saw
that Elisha had given up his comforts, his assurances, and his security, he essentially said, “Now I will mentor you.” Elisha
had shown he was ready to invest in the relationship. He had left his comfort zone. If you are going to follow a mentor, you
cannot give excuses. As the mentee, you must be willing to submit, commit, and even sacrifice.

The most important part of this story of Elijah and Elisha is the mutual agreement and deep love Elisha developed for his
mentor. Read his declaration of loyalty and love for Elijah:

2 Kings 2:1–15
When the L
ORD
was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha,
“Stay here; the L
ORD
has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the L
ORD
lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out
to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the L
ORD
is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.” Then Elijah said to
him, “Stay here, Elisha; the L
ORD
has sent me to
Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the L
ORD
lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to
Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the L
ORD
is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.” Then Elijah said to him,
“Stay here; the L
ORD
has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the L
ORD
lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. Fifty men of the company of the prophets went
and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled
it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry
ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me
inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see
me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.” As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a
chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha
saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took
hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on
the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the L
ORD
, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. The
company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went
to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.”

What a beautiful story of effective mentorship and succession. Elijah was the consummate mentor, and Elisha the excellent
mentee. Notice that Elisha not only received the mantel of Elijah, but he also received his influence and his school of prophets.
Note too that Elisha pursued Elijah right to the end and
became his successor. Elisha told Elijah, “As surely as the L
ORD
lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”

Before the mentoring relationship can even begin, you must identify a mentor worth pursuing. So there are two perspectives
of mentorship, one is that of the mentor who chooses the mentee intentionally for the purpose of training and preparing that
person for potential succession. The other is that of a mentee who, desiring to be mentored, identifies a mentor and indicates
the willingness to submit and serve the mentor. This is in order to benefit from the mentor’s wisdom, knowledge, experience,
and molding. In both cases, the mentee must pursue the mentor if mentoring is to be successful.

The mentor
chooses but does not pursue
the mentee. Anyone who could be considered a potent mentor would probably be busy and consumed by his or her priorities and
passion. Thus, the ideal candidate would not be waiting casually for someone to come forward and ask to be mentored, nor would
this outstanding leader be preoccupied with looking for someone to mentor. In fact, a person worthy of being a mentor already
would have many people seeking his or her attention and wisdom. The challenge is that one leader can mentor only a few people
effectively.

The mentor ultimately chooses the mentee, but only after the mentee has pursued a relationship and demonstrated the willingness
to be mentored. Essentially, whether the mentor chooses the mentee or the mentee chooses the leader as mentor, the initiative
and onus still would be on the mentee.

Choosing someone to whom you can submit your entire life, plans, goals, ambitions, dreams, visions, and destiny is a very
serious decision. Choosing someone to help form your priorities, values, moral convictions, and future life’s work is critical.
You must make the decision with great care. What are some of the qualities you might look for in a potential mentor, and where
could you find such a person? Here are a few points I wish to submit for your consideration. A mentor should be one who has:

•  Lived long enough to have a character that has been tested over time by both his supporters and enemies and is worthy of trust.

•  
Overcome major obstacles, oppositions, challenges, discouragements, and points of failure in the pursuit of achieving a vision
or a cause in the interest of humanity.

•  Demonstrated wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the comprehensive nature of life that makes the mentor’s counsel trustworthy.

•  Exhibited a longevity and faithfulness to a cause, a vision, or a call with consistency.

•  Made major personal sacrifices and demonstrated willingness to bear the cost of a dream and a passion, as well as to help
others succeed or achieve their goals.

•  Managed failure and success effectively and displayed a spirit of humility and candor.

•  Shown willingness to protect his or her integrity and character without compromise.

Getting someone like this to mentor you is not difficult, as I have experienced that every genuine leader or truly successful
person wants, desires, and feels obligated to mentor others as a way of giving back. The only requirements or demands would
be that the mentee must be serious, committed, and dedicated to being mentored. Leaders do not want to waste their time. Therefore,
asking a leader or someone from whom you desire to learn if he or she will mentor you is the first step. However, just as
Elijah did, the prospective mentor will test your interest and commitment.

If you want someone to consider mentoring you, you must adopt the right frame of mind and demonstrate the right attitude.
You must be:

•  Willing to serve the mentor and not your personal ambition.

•  Willing to sacrifice your personal interests to serve the mentor’s interests.

•  Willing to submit totally to the mentor’s instructions, counsel, advice, rebuke, and correction.

•  Willing to stay in the background until invited.

•  Circumspect about the mentor’s weaknesses and not intent on taking advantage
of them or using them as leverage for exploitation or blackmail.

•  Vigilant and aware of all that surrounds your mentor and able to learn his/her habits, desires, preferences, interests, and
priorities.

•  Respectful of the mentor’s relationships or friendships and not intent on taking advantage of them for personal gain.

•  Willing to study the process and principles of your mentor, not just his or her results.

•  On guard against cultivating a spirit that is jealous of your mentor, understanding that you can never learn from someone
if you are jealous of them.

•  Open to learning how not to lean on your mentor.

Remember, to be mentored is a privilege and not a right. Be eternally grateful and express it often. Gratitude will always
attract help.

Again we can look at Joshua and Moses as one of the greatest, most-perfect examples of mentoring and succession. A careful
review of their relationship as mentor and mentee provides us with an excellent case study for choosing a mentee and submitting
to a mentor. Let us read some of their story and extract the unique principles of mentoring and succession demonstrated in
their relationship: