Many people today are looking for a mentor—someone who can show them how to live, how to make decisions, how to succeed, and how to navigate life’s challenges. A mentor is usually someone you look up to, someone whose life gives you direction. But when we think about mentorship as believers, we need to ask an important question: where do that mentor’s footsteps lead?
Because in the end, the value of a mentor is not only found in their wisdom or experience. The true value lies in where they are leading you.
The Bible shows us that the greatest and most perfect Mentor who ever lived is Jesus Christ. He did not only teach through words, but through His life. His disciples did not just hear Him—they followed Him. They saw how He lived, how He prayed, how He loved, how He served, and how He always placed the will of the Father first.
Jesus’ life had one clear priority: He sought the Kingdom of God above all else. That is why He says, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
This verse gives us an important principle about mentorship. When someone’s life is focused on God and His Kingdom, everything else falls into its proper place. But when a person pursues earthly things first—wealth, status, recognition, or success—their direction can easily become misaligned.
That is why we must be careful about the mentors we choose to follow.
The world often teaches that a good mentor is someone who has achieved wealth, influence, or great success. But the Bible measures success differently. God does not first look at what a person has achieved—He looks at the heart.
A true mentor, according to God’s heart, is someone who loves God, honours His Word, and walks in His ways. Such a life does not point to itself—it points to Christ.
The apostle Paul understood this well. That is why he writes, be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Paul did not tell people to follow him because he was important. He did not draw people to himself. He knew that his life only had value if it reflected Christ. In other words: follow me, because I follow Jesus.
This is the heart of true mentorship.
A true mentor does not lead people toward their own glory, but toward Christ. Their life becomes like a signpost that says: this is the way to Jesus.
When a person reads God’s Word and walks in it, their life naturally begins to influence others. You may not always realise it, but someone is watching your life. Someone sees how you speak, how you act, how you handle problems, and how you trust God.
Our lives leave footprints.
The question is: where do those footprints lead?
If we live only for ourselves, our footsteps will lead others to temporary things—things that fade. But if we live for God, our footsteps can lead others to something far greater: a life with Christ.
The apostle Peter reminds us of this when he writes about Jesus, for even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
Jesus left us an example—footsteps for us to walk in. And when we walk in those footsteps, something powerful happens: others begin to follow.
But in reality, they are not only following us—they are beginning to walk the path of Christ.
That is why a life close to God is so important. A mentor’s greatest influence is not in their advice, but in their life. People can say many things, but what truly leaves an impact is how a person lives.
When someone loves God, reads His Word, and lives according to His will, something begins to shine from their life that draws others. It is not perfection—it is devotion. It is a heart that says, Lord, I want to follow You.
And that kind of life becomes a guide for others.
This does not mean we should discourage people from having mentors. On the contrary, the Bible shows us how important spiritual guidance is. But it also reminds us to choose mentors who draw us closer to God.
A mentor should be someone who helps you know Jesus better—not someone who only helps you achieve earthly success.
Because everything built only on this world will one day pass away.
But a life built on God produces fruit that lasts forever.
So when choosing a mentor, it is wise to ask yourself: does this person help me live closer to God? Do they help me seek the Kingdom of God first? Does their life lead me closer to Christ?
And at the same time, we must also look at ourselves.
Because each of us leaves footprints.
You may not see yourself as a mentor. But someone—a child, a friend, a colleague, or even a stranger—may be influenced by your life.
The way you live can shape someone else’s path.
So the most important question is not whether people are following us. The most important question is whether we are following Jesus.
When we follow Him, our lives begin to reflect His heart. We learn to love as He loves. We learn to forgive as He forgives. We learn to serve as He served.
And without even realising it, others begin to notice that there is something different about this path.
It is the path of Christ.
May we strive each day to live so close to God that our footsteps ultimately point in one direction—toward Jesus.
Because in the end, it is not about how many people followed us.
What truly matters is whether our lives helped others discover the footsteps of Jesus Christ—and walk in them.
Share the devotional with someone.
