“Ownership”

“Ownership”

February 24, 2016

A significant part of mentoring is ownership. Until a student actually owns what is modeled, the process is not complete. Much of the way we do life revolves around this principle.

A child who has the benefit of parents who teach and live good behavior choices will usually mimic these attitudes during early childhood and even into their teens. But the jury is out on whether that child actually owns those behaviors. Somewhere in the journey, there has to be personal ownership, when the learner says, “This is who I am and this is the way I will live.”

One of the heartbreaks in parenting is the awareness that this ownership has not developed. Promising young people sometimes make choices contrary to how they were reared and seem comfortable with their choices. Parents wonder what happened to those earlier years when the child was so familiar with those principles and appeared to be committed to them.

Years ago while working in construction, I observed with fascination the journeyman-apprentice relationships. Some learners observed every detail, had no problem asking questions and succeeded. Others did not complete the program. They had the same mentors, sat under the same teachers and were given the same opportunities. But when left on their own, they failed. Apparently, they never actually owned the training.

Kids growing up in Christian homes and church environments have a great privilege. In addition to parental mentoring, they have other mature adults who invest in them. If they listen and observe, they will learn from both the successes and failures of their teachers. Most likely, they will have the opportunity to put what they are observing into their own experience.

The proof of their ownership of this heritage will come when they are old enough to make their own choices. Personal freedom combined with peer pressure will test their ownership of what they have been taught. Their actions will demonstrate whether or not they have taken ownership.

Pastor Bill Ehmann

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.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

RECENT POSTS

“How Do They Know?”

By webteam | August 26, 2015 | 0 Comments

August 26, 2015 Ponder The woodpecker taps the tree trunk with its beak and then turns its head from side to side, apparently listening for sounds inside the tree. Eventually, it picks a certain spot and with jackhammer intensity removes […]

“Faithful Messengers”

By webteam | August 19, 2015 | 0 Comments

August 19, 2015 Ponder On my journey through the Bible via CD, I have been in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. I enjoyed Isaiah more than usual as I listened for its statements of hope – there are quite a few […]

“Fifty Years and Counting”

By webteam | August 12, 2015 | 0 Comments

August 12, 2015 Ponder Friday, August 14, 2015, will mark 50 years of marriage for Carol and me. My mind is struggling to comprehend how this can be true, but the calendar does not lie. On the eve of this […]

“Ruthless Trust”

By webteam | August 5, 2015 | 0 Comments

August 5, 2015 Ponder Brennan Manning’s book called “Ruthless Trust” has impacted my life so much that I find myself rereading it periodically. He says, “The person with an abiding spirit of gratitude is the one who trusts God. The […]

“I Love You”

By webteam | July 29, 2015 | 0 Comments

July 29, 2015 Ponder Although I have read through the Book of Isaiah several times before, I recently discovered a new insight. In chapter 43, verse 4, God told Israel, “I love you.” At first glance, that should not surprise […]

Scroll to Top