Just Like the Iron

Sharpening a dental instrument requires skill. You must know the angle and shape of each different tip. You must also know the proper angle at which to sharpen such instruments with your stone. If you do not take great care in keeping up with sharpening an instrument, once it's dull, it takes great effort to get it back to the original angle; it may, however, be weakened.

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

This may seem a strange relation to some of you, but I for one am astounded by the parallelism. How are you "sharpening" your friends, and who is sharpening you? It is not an easy task given by God, but a necessary one. If we are not kept in the Lord's ways and there is no encouragement, then we go dull fast. The longer the wait, the harder to return to what once was. If we are deceived and sharpened in the wrong way, it take even greater effort to return to what we were; this is usually accompanied by loss.

If and instrument in dentistry is not used, yet sterilized again with the set it is apart of, it will still become dull.

"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season..." 2 Timothy 4:2

I had a conversation with a good friend tonight. She wants to know why she believes in what she does. There is a verse I know (which is failing to come to me this night as I look through my Bible) that tells us to be ready with an answer lest anyone question our faith. Do not forget your faith and what your purpose for the Lord is.

"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25

I want to be that doer. It's not an easy task. I may grow weary, but God will keep me strong. He will carry your burden alongside you too. Let us all join together in community as we strive to be just like the iron.

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galations 6:9

I hope as you read this it finds your heart, for this has been on mine for the last week. It's much less than what it should be, but I leave it to you, in challenge, to seek God in His word, and to live for him and others wholeheartedly. But do not forget yourself in the midst of this. You must learn to treasure and keep your own temple; it is then that you can fully give of yourself to others.

"Let us therfore come boldly to the throne of grace..." Hebrews 4:16