God gave me this word during one of Ps Glen's sermons. So mate, if you read this, sorry, I wasn't listening to you. :)
I want to start by asking a question: Why is Elijah considered among the greatest of prophets, when Elisha, his successor, performed twice as many miracles. Having asked for and received the double portion of anointing from Elijah, Elisha is mentioned only once after he dies, and then it is in passing reference by Jesus in Luke 4:27. And yet Elijah who performed half as many miracles and had half the anointing as Elisha, is mentioned over and over and over.
It was Elijah who appeared with Moses on the mount of Transfiguration. It was Elijah whom the people thought had returned when Jesus was ministering on Earth. It was Elijah who was prophesied to return my Malachi (he was referring to John the Baptist). It is Elijah who is mentioned over 30 times after his death, most of that in the new testament. Why? What was so different between them? What did Elijah have that Elisha didn't?
I would like to submit, that there was one major difference between them. There was one thing that Elijah did far better than Elisha. And that was Elijah imparted and invested into the next generation effectively. While Elisha did invest into the next generation in the form of Gehazi; Gehazi did not receive a double portion of anointing as Elisha did, he did not carry on the prophetic appointment, and as such neither servant nor master is remembered beyond their death.
Elijah was so effective in imparting, mentoring, discipling, leading that Elisha was able to not only ask for, but also to recieve the double portion of prophetic anointing that was on Elijah's life. Elisha however, for reasons unknown failed to do this. I am not saying that Elisha is at fault for Gehazi's failing. Each person is responsible for their own choices. So please don't misunderstand, Gehazi dug his own grave in lying to a prophet... not very smart :)
But as John C Maxwell said, "Everything rises and falls on leadership". So while not his fault, Gehazi's failing is Elisha's failing. As I mentioned, we aren't told exactly how Elisha failed to adequately mentor his protege, but here are some possible ways:
- To busy. It's possible, that Elisha was too busy to doing things. Noble things, good things, even God things, all took up too much time, time that could have been invested into his servant. Yes, faith without works is dead. but works without impartation and investing into the next generation, die with you. It is important to never be too busy for those you are mentoring. Never be so busy doing things that you forget to speak into and build up those around and under you.
- Wrong Language. It's possible that Elisha was speaking into Gehazi. In fact I'm sure he was. He would have followed in Elijah's footsteps and shown and taught everything that Elijah taught him. But. If Elisha was communicating in language that Gehazi couldn't understand. And i'm not talking about an actual language, of course they both spoke Hebrew or whatever language they spoke, we have record of them communicating, so language wasn't a barrier. But have you ever met someone from a different generation, or a different culture. And you are both speaking the same language, but neither one of you understands what the other is saying? It's possible that Elisha was speaking, was imparting, but Gehazi wasn't fully getting it. I'm sure he picked up the general idea, but maybe not all of it. The solution here is simple, learn the language that your mentoree is speaking. If they are using words you don't understand, learn them. It is useless to keep speaking when the one you are imparting into isn't receiving what you are giving.
- Unwilling learner. Some people don't want to learn. It doesn't matter how much wisdom you are giving, it makes no difference how much you long to impart into them. If the student is unwilling, it is expensive wine wasted on desert sand. Perhaps the student is lazy, perhaps they are preoccupied, perhaps they are just downright foolish. But in this case the only thing you can do as a mentor, as someone who is imparting into the next generation is to find somebody else. Still be their friend. Still be available to them should they change their mind. But don't keep wasting your time on someone who is not going to pick up your wisdom and teaching and implement and run with it.
Elijah, was able to impart effectively into Elisha. He taught, and instructed and demonstrated in a way that Elisha was able to understand and implement. And as such, Elijah is remembered as the greatest of prophets. Elisha failed to do the same with Gehazi. And as such, is not mentioned again. Please understand Elisha was not a failure because he didn't effectively impart into Gehazi. Elisha did mighty works, twice as many in fact as his master and mentor Elijah, Elisha was a mighty man of God highly respected. But his legacy ended on his death, and as such, he is not remembered beyond his death. But Elijah's legacy lived on long after his death, in some ways Elijah's works didn't finish with his death (I know, technically he didn't die... but just work with me here) Elijah's hand was in every miracle that Elisha did, because of the impact Elijah had on that young man.
