Skip to main content

Are You Sharp?


As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)


            Whenever I read this verse, I think, "Ouch!" Sharpening means that rough edges are smoothed away and dullness is honed by rubbing. Sharpening is part of the care and maintenance of the edged tool because a sharp tool does what it is designed to do better than a nicked, dull one.
       This is one of the reasons we need to be part of a Christian community, and also part of the wider community. It sharpens us. It makes us better able to do what we were designed to do. This is also the reason why the more difficult, challenging relationships are actually the source of greater blessings. By difficult and challenging, I don't mean abusive or toxic, but that they demand our best. Sometimes, these are our closest relationships as well.
   When we feel like we're being rubbed the wrong way, or ground down to nothing, we need to be reminded that the One who is sharpening us designed us and forged us. He knows what it is we are meant to do, and exactly how sharp we need to be to do it. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us at least some of what it looks like when we are finally honed. It is when we have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more