For more than 40 years, Star Wars has been teaching us the importance of having the right mentor and mentee relationship.
The sage mentors in the Original Trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and VI) were Obi-Wan and Yoda.
The mentors in the Prequel Trilogy (Episodes I, II, and III) include Obi-Wan and Yoda, but also include Qui-Gon Jinn.
The mentor-mentee relationship in these movies is complicated and not always “successful.”
We see that Yoda has trained most of the Jedi. One of his Padawan learners was Count Dooku. Count Dooku in turned was a mentor to Qui-Gonn who in turn mentored Obi-Wan, who in turn mentored Anakin.
Why Star Wars Mentoring Failed
The real reason for the mentoring failure in the movies is so that a story could be moved along and set up the tension that was needed.
That said, if we look at how mentoring existed in the movies, it was set up to fail.
The Jedi Master taught a Padawan who in turned stayed with that one master until they passed their trials. After passing their trials, the newly minted Jedi would eventually get their own Padawan to train.
The Jedi Knights and Jedi Masters did not have someone to continually learn from, or friends to be around.
As Christians, we might tweak it just a little bit to say that everyone needs a Paul, a Timothy and a Barnabas.
Learning From A “Paul”
Your “Paul” is the mentor who pours his life and wisdom into your life. This person is the Jedi in the relationship whereas you are the Padawan.
This Paul is a person that is further along in their faith or walk with Christ. They have been through variest trials and has wisdom to share with you.
Teaching Your “Timothy”
You should still be learning from “your Paul” and also be working to become a Paul to your Timothy.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that “You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.”
As you are learning from your Paul, you need to be able to explain it to someone (maybe your grandmother).
As you are growing, you need to share it with others. This will help you internalize things much more than if you keep it to yourself.
Surrounding Yourself with “Barnabas”
Barnabas, was true to his name’s meaning, which was “son of comfort/encouragement”. He always seemed to be looking for someone to comfort or encourage.
We are told in Acts 11:25-26 that “Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians. (emphasis added).”
We need to people to hang out with and receive and give comfort and encouragement.
What If The Jedi Had Biblical Mentoring?
I wonder what would have happened if the Jedi had biblical mentoring.
Would Yoda’s mentoring of Count Dooku still lead to Dooku leaving the Jedi order and becoming a Sith?
Would Dooku’s training of Qui-Gon be untainted? Would Obi-Wan have been a better mentor to Anakin?
If Anakin had both a Timothy and Barnabas in his life, would he have been able to share his struggles concerning his mother and Padme? Maybe a Barnabas could have spoken into his life, saving the Galaxy from Darth Vader.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) Click To Tweet
