Sharpening Tools

Proverbs 27:17 NASB

Iron sharpens iron, 

So one man sharpens another.

I woke up with this verse on my mind today. This is a great verse for multiple reasons: 


1) It tells us that we are to build each other into the person God wants us to be by honing each other's skills (sharpening them, if I may). A great example of this can be found in 1 Samuel 25 specifically in verses 18-33 where Abigail rebukes David in probably the gentlest way I've ever seen. Her heart behind it was to sharpen David to become the man of God that he is meant to be, not just to save her own skin from David and all his men. 

2) This verse also tells us sparks are going to fly. When iron sharpens iron, there are going to be sparks. It's not going to always be the greatest feeling in the world when a brother or sister comes up and says that they have noticed something that we can improve upon (no matter how gently it comes). Yes, we have the opportunities to be humble before both our peers and God; however, we may not always see it as an opportunity to do so. I can tell you from personal experience that getting sharpened isn't always the most fun thing in the world, but I never have regretted it in the long run. And yes, maybe it has taken me a couple weeks to accept rebuke or reproof, but the Lord has always given me a great way to look at it in the end.


3) It tells us HOW we need to sharpen each other. This one literally just came to me. When a good blacksmith sharpens some metal, he doesn't take chips out, he smooths a piece to the desired sharpness. If he takes a chip out, it would take more effort to correct his mistake and smooth out everything else to the proper sharpness.


With this last part said, I have to work on things. I understand that I'm here to sharpen others and lay down my life to make them the person God wants them to be. I also understand that there are going to be some sparks when we hit "burrs" if you will; however, I am very bad at sharpening properly. Too often do I take chips out of people looking to refine them immediately rather than taking my time and humbly submitting my thoughts and observations; and more than that, trusting that the Lord will work in their hearts to change them. I need to be more like Abigail and reprove someone so graciously that it would not seen like reproof at all from an outsider instead of looking to do things my way.


So, in closing, I'd just like to apologize if you have experienced my critical heart come out and try to chip at you instead of the loving sharpening the way that God intended. I'd also like to challenge you to be a proper brother or sister and sharpen your brothers and sisters in a humble way that shows that you want them to become the man or woman that God intends them to be.