Spiritual Mentors vs. Spiritual Mothers

I have a spiritual mother, and she punches me, a lot, and really, really hard.

I’ve heard a lot lately about spiritual mentors. Certainly it is gaining ground as a staple of true, intentional discipleship. And while I see this as an invaluable tool, I think there is one more opportunity that’s perhaps even more effective than spiritual mentors—spiritual mothers, or more generally stated, spiritual parents.

Consider the following:

Spiritual Mentors…                   vs.            Spiritual Mothers/Fathers…

♦Are man made                                                ♦Are God made
  (the relationship, not the person)                (the relationship, and the person)
 
♦Are scheduled                                                  ♦Are always available
 
♦Develop a connection over time                  ♦Develop a connection quickly
 
♦Maintain generational gaps                        ♦Bridge generational gaps
 

I have spiritual mentors. I have learned much from them. I meet them for lunches and sit-downs, and we discuss life, work, and God. But I also have spiritual parents. These relationships just flow easily. I know God has connected me with certain people, and the connection bridges all generational gaps.

I’ve found, particularly in my workplace, that I relate much differently to the various generations. I am calm, relaxed, and loose with those my age, and a bit more professional and reserved with the generations above me (those who work with me just thought “Yeah, right. When is HE professional?”). But when I connect with spiritual parents, that generational gap disappears.

I have a certain spiritual mother who I have truly connected with (yes, it should say “with whom” English Nazi). I pick her brain at any moment as needed, but I also mock her. I remind her of how old she is and she laughs, then she punches me in the gut. I LOVE THAT! I do not feel this level of comfort with mentors. My spiritual mother has a son my age, but our relationship completely bridges the generational gap.  I have learned much from my mentors, and will continue to do so. They help my brain. But my spiritual mother has more deeply touched my heart, and my life. She, of course, could never replace my real mom (love you Mom!) but she is a great benefit to my life.

I hope you seek out and learn from a few mentors, but even more so, I hope God places a few mothers and fathers in your life, because everybody needs a swift fist to the gut every now and then.

At least I know I can say, without a shred of doubt: “My spiritual mom could totally beat up your spiritual mom.”

Don’t let the hat fool you, she will tear you apart.

QUESTION: Do you have spiritual parents? How have they affected your life?

For more thoughts on discipleship, read:
 
What Is Discipleship?
When Faith Gets Messy
How Important Are Relationships? a tale of two funerals
I Must Confess
Engage Your Faith

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*