I was typing something on my phone recently when I needed to spell a simple word. I was contemplating what the spelling should be when I asked my older daughter. To my amazement, the younger one cut in with the spelling. I was inspired. The daughters I raised are now teaching me. That’s a lesson on mentorship.
Friend, the people you raise are going to raise you in the future. Build no one, enter into an empty future. Those whom David made champions were the ones who rescued him at his lowest and vulnerable moments (2 Samuel 21:15-22). David killed just one giant, the men of David killed the other ones. What would have happened if David did not raise them? He would have had a shortlived victory.
Victories are shortlived when people are not trained. We don’t only want to see God in our days, we also want to see Him at work in generations after us (Psalms 78:1-7). Jesus spent the bulk of his time on earth training his disciples and his ministry still continues after 2000 years (Matthew 5:1-2). Impact that stops with you is no impact at all. God wants us to be the joy of many generations (Isaiah 60:15). Training will unlock that possibility.
I cannot teach error or nonsense in our Church because we have a well trained congregation (Acts 17:10-11, 1 Timothy 4:16). The look on their faces alone would send you off the pulpit if you are spewing trash. I was taught that your Church congregation can be your safety or your occasion of stumbling. Train them, you are safe. Refuse to train them, you would soon stumble.
Train your wife. If Adam had trained Eve, he would not have fallen (Genesis 3:1-9). It is the investment you make in your spouse and children that you would later reap. Like the saying goes; it is the child that is not taught that would sell off the house that you spend time building (Psalms 127:3-5, Proverbs 29:17).
People are your greatest legacy, not building. If you invest in people, you would have a future of joy. If you don’t, you would have a future of regret. Train your children (Proverbs 22:6, 29:17). Train your congregation. Train your staff. What if you train them and they leave; someone may want to ask? What if you don’t train them and they stay? Be intentional about the future.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria