“Remember that mentor leadership is all about serving. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).”― Tony Dungy, The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently
“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”
― Plato
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
― William Arthur Ward
Why are you here? What is your purpose for living? What should you be doing and giving with what God has given you? How should I raise my child (children)? Am I doing God's will? What is God's will for my life? Should I withhold good when it is in my power to act? How can I (one man) make a difference?
Whether or not these are questions that you randomly ask yourself, at some time or another these themes keep popping back up in my head and my thoughts continue to ponder these questions over and over and over again.
I am writing this to followers of Jesus Christ (not unbelievers or just fans, but Followers). That being said, if you do know know Christ as your personal Savior (google Romans Road of Salvation - or send us an email or find a bible believing/preaching church and ask their pastor/elders how to be saved. For the rest of you that choose to continue to read this - thank you! I would also beg for your input and thoughts into this post. 
A while ago, Lance had put out what our readers wanted to hear more about and one of the responses was this: "Sacrifice/love of fathers/mentors? Much like the examples of Abraham/Isaac, God/Jesus, Paul/Timothy." I love this response and topic. Jesus Christ called us to be disciples and not just fans not just pew sitters - he wants Kingdom builders and Heavy Hitters for His will (Not ours!).
If we are to truly be disciples of Christ then we have to sacrifice everything for Him and His will.
Let’s see what Jesus said about the cost of discipleship:“Luke 14:25-33 The Cost of Discipleship
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
Let's put it this way, as disciples of Christ, we are called to pick up are Cross and carry it daily. Does that sound easy, passive and unresponsive to God's will and plan for us? When you weigh these two things, for me, it is easy to see that sacrifice is paramount here. As fathers we are called to be fully engaged and to develop and rear are child to love the Lord with all his heart, soul, body, strength and mind. We are also told to teach them to love their neighbor. When we mentor - we sacrifice our valuable time. We choose to put others (serve others) before we serve ourselves.
All throughout the Bible we see countless sacrifice of mentors, leaders, fathers and disciples keenly aware of the cost (even in their fears and weaknesses), but they all have Faith. Jesus was unquestionably the greatest example for mentoring others - he walked with his disciples for 3 years with patience and tolerance and even when they still didn't get most of what he was saying - God knew that they had so much more in them - the Holy Spirit to do his Kingdom work and not theirs.
Less of me, more of God! That is the posture I will take more often than not!
Your thoughts?
Dante