9
MENTORING STRATEGIES FOR
TURNING BOYS INTO MEN
Harold D. DavisR
Every boy needs a man in his face challenging him with wisdom
regarding the critical issues and decisions in his life.”
This statement drives the TALKS (Transferring A Little
Knowledge Systematically) effort for mentoring young men. (For
more information on the TALKS approach, please review chapter 8,
“The TALKS Mentoring Curriculum and Approach.”)
As a boy I was fortunate to have men in my life at various times
who provided wisdom regarding life issues. I am a blessed man
because of that. Through these men, God gave me so much that today
my cup runs over. I believe that everything inside of my cup belongs
to my family and me, and that everything that overflows my cup is
supposed to splash onto those around me. That’s the way it happened
for me. I benefited from those who were willing to share their abun-
dance with me. That’s the way it must happen for boys today. Every
concerned adult man must use his overflow to benefit the boys com-
ing up behind him.
The psalmist speaks directly to our goal of equipping boys with
testimonies of the goodness of God: “We have heard with our ears, O
God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in
the times of old.... In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy
name forever” (Ps. 44:1, 8, KJV).