Summary
Middle Children of God
Every Christian stands in the middle of a great timeline. We never knew an existence without those who came before us in the faith, and we will not see the existence of those who come after. We are middle children of God—receiving from elders who taught us, and called to hand on what we have received to those who follow. The relationship between Elijah and Elisha gives this calling its shape and name: Picking Up the Mantle.
The mantle itself was a prophet's garment, a visible sign of authority from God. When Elijah found Elisha plowing in 1 Kings 19:19 and threw his mantle over him, he was not merely passing by. He was saying, in effect, come with me; I will mentor you, and the authority God has placed on me will one day be placed on you. Elisha rose and followed.
What followed was a relationship of depth, loyalty, and protective love. As Elijah's departure drew near in 2 Kings 2, three times the older prophet urged Elisha to stay behind—at Gilgal, at Bethel, at Jericho—and three times Elisha refused: "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." When Elisha finally asked for a parting gift, he did not ask for property or status. The "double portion" was the firstborn's inheritance under Deuteronomy 21:17—two-thirds of the father's estate. Elisha asked it not of Elijah's possessions but of Elijah's spirit. He wanted what truly mattered: the same Spirit-given power to serve the Lord that he had watched at work in his mentor.
It would be lovely to remain forever the mentee—nurtured, fed, taught, and protected. But mentors are taken home. When the chariot of fire swept Elijah away, Elisha tore his clothes in grief, and then he did the decisive thing: he picked up the mantle that had fallen, returned to the Jordan, struck the water, and crossed over. His journey with Elijah ended; his journey of faith did not. Equipped and empowered by the same God, he stepped into the ministry that was now his.
Every baptized Christian has already been given such a mantle. 1 Peter 2:9 declares that we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Through the waters of baptism, the promises of salvation, the forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the righteousness of Christ have all been placed upon us. The authority to speak of what God has done is not reserved for clergy or for those who feel sufficiently prepared—it is the inheritance of the baptized.
So the excuses fall away. I am not equipped. I am not a parent. I might do it wrong. Mentorship in the faith is not finally about biology or expertise; it is about the older brother or sister in Christ walking with the younger. Consider who came before you—the people God placed in your path by divine appointment to teach, guide, and love you into the faith. Then consider who is coming after: the newly baptized, the not-yet-baptized, the seeker, the child, the friend. By God's grace you are called to become an Elijah for another Elisha, picking up the mantle that is already yours and proclaiming the mighty acts of the One who called you out of darkness.
Video citations
- “Picking Up the Mantle” 9-22-24 — Relationships. Relationships are very, very interesting how we relate to one another and an aspect of relationships that I am very drawn to that I really enjoy studying is birth order. Now this may…