Mentor Believer

Whenever we assume good faith, born of good motives and inner security, we appeal to the good in others.
Stephen Covey

People have a desperate need for someone to believe in them. they have hidden potential. desires, dreams, visions, passions, perspectives and graces that could contribute to groups, communities and society at large, but they are lacking that one person that believes enough in them
and trusts them enough as an individual to see it released to the world.

The mentor/father is that person that can and would believe in you and accept as someone who has potential and wants to express it.
My mentor that influenced my life,  always believed in me and with his his usual positive approach to life and his belief in those he mentored, would encourage me to release my potential and be who I am called in this life to be.
Even on my last conversation with him before he passed away, he last words to me were: " I believe in you!" I had just shared a dream, an idea with him, that I believed had the potential to affect peoples lives, and as he always did assumed my best motives and believed I could apply my best to the project.

It always exerts a tremendous influence on your life when someone believes in you.

But mentor/father if you are in the habit of labelling, criticizing, judging and profiling a mentee you will ensure their dependence on you, their constant need for affirmation, their lack of initiative, and them never reaching their God-given potential.
This is all because generally speaking, of your own personal insecurity, frustration, and dependence on external appearances, status symbols, positions and achievements. Is it possible that you do not believe in your own potential and the influence you can exert on this persons life? Or is it because you secretly do not want your mentee to be or do better than you? Are you afraid of the possible outcome of them rising to the best they can be?

There will be those that take advantage of you but that shouldn't be the excuse to press everyone down, keeping them under and never allowing them to rise to the place you believe they can be and treat them accordingly.

Another mentor that I journeyed with on the other hand, was so insecure that he would reject any if they would not or could not stay within his determined framework for them, which most of the time was beneath him so he could feel better about himself. By profiling and manipulative words he mastered the art of reducing people and making them feel they are doing their best.
this kind of behaviour and habit as a mentor is just the kind of action that keeps individuals small, inferior and less than their best. It has an influence but the wrong kind, taking the mentee in the opposite direction for their lives.

Mentor/fathers be a powerful influence in the lives of mentees and believe in them, assume the best of them, seek out and nourish the dormant potential in them and make a huge contribution the wave of next generation leaders.