Withness 6 - Who's Your Peter/Paul? - You Need a Yoda

Read John 13:1-11; John 18:15-18, 25-27; John 21:15-19; Acts 4:5-13.
Read Acts 7:54-8:3; Acts 9:1-31; Acts 13:1-3.

Peter struggled to understand Jesus' teaching and would go on to deny knowing him. Paul led a severe persecution of the early Christians. So begins the stories of two men who would go on to become the two prominent leaders of the early church.

Remember watching the original Star Wars movies? Obi Wan Kenobi was the wise old Jedi who guides Luke Skywalker in learning the ways of the force. He seems the perfect mentor. Then the new Star Wars movies came out, and we see that Obi Wan was not always the wise mentor, but he was also the impetuous student who made mistakes. He was not born a great mentor and teacher, he had to learn.

Sweet in his book says, "There is always someone wiser than you .... Sometimes Peter and Paul need to sit at the feet of Timothy."

How do Peter & Paul's stories reflect the truth of this observation? Does being a mentor to someone mean that you have "perfect knowledge"? Why is it important to, in Sweet's words, "... learn apprenticeship before we can offer mentorship"?

Sweet offers some points to consider in choosing a Yoda, a mentor, in your life:
1) Watch how they treat their spouse.
2) Are the walls of their study permeable to their kids?
3) Do they spend time reading and reviewing, blurbing and blogging other people's books and manuscripts, or do they consider themselves too famous for that?
4) Humility - sees themself as always a student and will not allow the student to withhold wisdom from the teacher.
5) Honesty - willing to share their secrets, but willing to tell you the truth, even rebuke you
6) Honor - someone who has earned praise

What do you think of this list? Are there other things you might add?

How do Peter and/or Paul meet the qualifications of this list or the qualifications that you added?

All teachers make mistakes. In the questions at the end of the chapter, Sweet shares examples of teachers and experts who made mistakes, and then asks if you can come up with your own examples. Can you? How does a good mentor respond to their mistakes?