Mentor Lessons from the Mighty Ducks

Do you remember the movie about the peewee hockey team? They were sort of the Bad News Bears on ice. I recently re-watched all three movies and came away with a revelation of true mentorship.

In the movie, the coach, Gordon Bombay was hailed as the “Miracle Man” for turning a no-name inner-city peewee team into a champion team that goes all the way to the Olympics and beyond. But if you noticed every time Gordon or Charlie was sidetracked a little known storekeeper Hans or his brother Jan set them back on track. In MD1 and MD3 Hans was the behind the scenes mentor that changed everything. In MD2 his Brother Jan stepped in while Hans went back home to Scandinavia to visit his Mom. But these two never got the recognition they deserved for being there to mentor Gordon and the rest of the team to success. They gave without thought of reward. They just wanted to see the Ducks fly.

This reminded me of years ago when I took it upon myself the mentor or disciple young Christians in my workplace and church. My philosophy was that the best way to mentor people was to do it in a way that they did not know you were doing it.

Years later some of these young guys became leaders and when I hear them stand and speak giving someone else recognition for helping them achieve their success, I have to put away my ego and admit, “I was a success.”

In Matthew 11:11 in the Bible, Jesus speaks this line, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” My late pastor used to quote this but he always said that the last part was troubling and he could not explain it. These movies gave me a little light on the verse.

In Luke 22:24-27 it says, “Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.” The one who serves is the greatest, unlike what we have been taught by the values of this world, business or church.

I know a brother who every time a group of us gets together he helps in the kitchen or sets up. It comes very naturally to him because he has what the Bible calls a “gift of helps.” This is mentioned in 1 Cor. 12:28.  As long as I’ve known him since the early 80’s he has been this way, greater than John.  My wife is like this. Every time we get together with others, she has to ask, “What can I do to help?” And she looks hurt when they tell her, “Nothing, we’ve got it”. She is greater than John.

When we mentor or disciple, we must be like Han and Jan. Give without wanting recognition. And you will be a miracle worker in the life of the one you teach. You will be greater than John and greater than Gordon. Your reward is in Heaven.

Wayne Brooks
10/13/2019