MENTORS

So You Think You Can Dance – The Next Generation

Did any of you readers watch that TV show this season?

Through the years I have enjoyed watching the regular So You Think You Can Dance show. I do enjoy being graced by the talent of the choreographers and the elegance of the dancers even though I am not personally musical or artistic.

This is the first season where the show has featured “the next generation,” a group of dancers age 10-14 years old. I will admit when this season first started, I was not sure I would really enjoy watching. It just seemed a little strange to see these young kids dancing on the stage. But, as the shows progressed, I really came to enjoy this season.

What made the show special was having each of the next generation dancers, from Day 1, being paired up with an “All Star” dancer who was in the next generation dancer’s same dance genre. The All Star dancer was on the show before and in some cases was even the winner of their respective season.

The beginning shows had the All Stars watching the performances of several next generation dancers in the same dance genre and slowly narrowing the field down until there was just the one next generation dancer for each of the different dance genres.

As I sat watching the last show before the finale, where the top four dancers competed, it hit me what a great concept this next generation show really was. It made me think about our walk with the Lord. You might ask how or why. Let me explain further.

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What a wonderful opportunity it was for these next generation dancers to be paired up with an All-Star dancer, a special mentor for them. This mentor has walked alongside the next generation child throughout the whole series.

The next generation dancer was paired with the All Star mentor so that the young dancer could:

–Learn from them

–Be inspired by them

–Be encouraged by them

–Have someone who believed in them

–Turn to them when they had doubts

–Face and overcome their insecurities

–Have someone to relate to their current experience since they had been through it

–Challenge them to push themselves further than they’ve ever gone

–Follow their example

It truly has been amazing to see the growth in the contestants through the weeks. For me, the best part was seeing them work so hard and be successful especially in the dance styles that were not the one they auditioned for.

I think with the kids being so young, having the mentors there to support them greatly contributed to their success. What a great GROWING opportunity for them. What a wonderful way to make them more confident in their ability to do more advanced things.

 

So, that is the part relating to our walk with the Lord.

I think the Lord provides special mentors to walk with us and help us grow in our faith.

Can you think of any special mentors that the Lord has put in your path to help you on your spiritual journey?

Or, have you been blessed to be a special mentor in someone else’s life?

Either way, mentors are huge blessings in our lives.

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Who is that person or persons in your life who has inspired your walk with the Lord, encouraged and believed in you, challenged you to see things in a different light, or pushed you to do more than you ever thought you could?

I would love to hear about some of those people. Please share in the comment section below.

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During this next to the last show, it was so touching to see the next generation dancer and the All Star talk about what they meant to each other. They all formed such a special bond which will always be a special part of their lives….just like the relationship with the mentors in our lives. It was not just the next generation dancer whose life was deeply touched; the All Stars shared how much their lives were changed by the next generation dancer too, even making them be a better dancer.

I encourage you to share with those special mentors in your life what they mean to you and what they’ve done for you. May you be blessed by those who you have mentored through the years too.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. –Hebrews 13:7-8 (NIV)