The Wind Beneath My Wings

THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS (2 TIMOTHY 1)

I could not pass up the chance to talk about my mentor Herman Tang. Herman is a native son of Yuen Long, Hong Kong, and a graduate of Alliance Bible Seminary in 1975 and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Everyone has something good and nothing bad to say about him. He was the closest thing to a legend in ministry. In 1997, when I heard that he was moving to another state in a few months for ministry, I bravely asked him if I could spend time with him for fellowship. He hesitated but agreed to answer all questions I asked. We bonded through lunches, coffee and meetings.

Herman is a passionate, hardworking, and wonderful human being. One time, Herman called me to drive seven to eight hours overnight with him to take a Christian sister and her kid to appear before a court for jailed relative’s court sentence for a crime he committed. The next morning, he slept on a bench before the hearing began as I closely guarded him. When ladies asked him to have breakfast with him, he would wisely took me along. Herman was jovial, wise, loving, popular and honest. Most of all, he was an encourager, unashamed to say sappy things like, “Victor, you’re the best!” and “Victor, I am happy for you.”

Because of my gray hair, a coworker here asked how could he be my mentor since we are the same age. I wrote to him saying, “How old are you? Someone said we are the same age!” He replied, “Victor, I was born in 1951 (nine years older). I know you are much younger than me. Enjoy the days of your youth!”

2 Timothy is part of a series of personal letters grouped together under the category of Pastoral Epistles, due to its focus on young ministers and the pastoral ministry. Unlike many letters Paul wrote, these letters are to people he mentored instead of places he visited. 2 Timothy was written by Paul to Timothy, his beloved protégé who followed him on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1), who proved to be a helper and a ministry to Paul (Acts 19:22). The name of Timothy appears in ten of Paul’s letters (Rom 16:21, 1 Cor 4:17, 16:10, 2 Cor 1:1, 1:19, Phil 1:1, 2:19, Col 1:1, 1 Thess 1:1, 3:2, 3:6, 2 Thess 1:1, 1 Tim 1:2, 1:18, 6:20, 2 Tim 1:2, Philem 1), more than any of Paul’s other workers. Only Ephesians and Colossians are missing his name.

Have you considered expanding your ministry? How have you impacted others? What impact do you make to their lives?

Enlarge Your Circle to Enrich Your Life

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. (2 Tim 1:1-4)

The word mentor is derived from Homer’s Odyssey. When Odyssey fought in the dangerous Trojan war for a decade, he entrusted the guidance and grooming of his son into a man into the hands of a wise and old friend by the name of Mentor, thus a mentor is the closest thing to a father to a protégé.

What is a mentor? A mentor is a not manager. He schools, supports and shapes a person under his tutelage but not suffocate or stifle him, shares with him and stands by the person but not stick to him.

What is the significance of a mentor? It’s been said,

“If you want happiness for an hour -- take a nap.

If you want happiness for a day -- go fishing.

If you want happiness for a month -- get married.

If you want happiness for a year -- inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness for a lifetime -- help someone else.”

Everyone needs a mentor, but few have one and fewer consider themselves one. Paul’s affection as a mentor is well-known. In his official letters to the churches and other individuals, Paul called Timothy many things, including “our brother” (2 Cor 1:1, Col 1:1, 1 Thess 3:2, Philem 1), “our fellowlabourer” (Rom 16:21, 1 Thess 3:2), and “servant of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:1), but in his personal letters to Timothy he is “my son” (1 Tim 1:18, 2 Tim 2:1), “my own (gnesios) son” (1 Tim 1:2) and “my dear (agapetos) son” (v 2). “Son” is the most affectionate name of Paul and his favorite term for Timothy in the Pastoral Epistles, even though Paul was unashamed to call others such as Titus (Tit 1:4) and Onesimus “my son” too (Philem 10). Calling Timothy son is out of a fond, friendly and fruitful relationship tested over time, trust and triumph.