"But You'll Have to Be Dead."

I had a visit from a very dear friend this weekend.  It was unexpected, but very enjoyable.  There were many things about it that were unexpected, and the first centered on the nature of our relationship.  

Nathan was one of my students.  I recognized in him a young man uniquely gifted and called by God, capable of doing great things.  I approached him and asked if he had ever been discipled and wondered if he would be interested.  After meeting with his family we began a year of studying the Bible and praying together.  That year culminated in his graduation and a trip I took with him and his father to hike the mountains of Colorado.  

In my own life, I have a mentor that I have always admired.  Tony was my youth pastor and I interned under him for several years.  There was an unexpected moment, though, when I stopped being his pupil and started being his peer.  It was ceremonial or dramatic.  It just struck me, "Hey, I'm not a kid anymore.  I'm a youth pastor myself.  I have a son.  We're more like friends now."  

That same transition has happened with Nathan, just three short years after his graduation.  Many kids want to call me by my first name after they graduate, thinking it will somehow fluster me.  But Nathan has very easily assumed the right to call me Jay instead of Mr. Asp.  And while he may not be in exactly the same stage of life, he is bright and confident, pursuing a business he started.  It has become successful enough that he even talked about bringing me on staff as a graphic designer in the future.  Of course, we also talked about starting a website to sell my artwork (prompting him to joke that the venture would be more successful if I were dead first), taking another trip together and other dreams, but it was fun to dream together more as peers. 

Even more unexpected was the realization that I had become "someone's Tony."  With all that Tony has meant to me in my life, I'm honored that I would be among the first visits made when Nathan is home from college for the weekend.  It will be interesting to see what God has in store for this young man.  I, for one, am happy just to know him.