“I know it’s hard. But you have to keep looking at all the things you have to be thankful for. And you have to keep trusting in God’s sovereignty.”
I didn’t want to hear these words from Mike. I was drowning in torrential waves of grief, and I didn’t feel it would be possible to ever pull myself out. I didn’t want to pull myself out. And I definitely didn’t want him to try to pull me out. But he wasn’t going to hold back from telling me the truth.
“As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
There are times when we need other people to speak hard truths into our souls.
Because knives can become dull. And when they are dull, they are ineffective. And the way to sharpen them is to scrape the two iron blades together so they can become razor-edged and useful once again. A knife will not become sharp with a gentle touch. What sharpens it is a heavy grating, a deep pressing against it.
It’s crucial to have people around us who we can have honest conversations with, who can look us in the eye and shoot it to us straight. People who can point us to scriptural truth, and do it out of love. Many times we have blind spots and cannot see the “planks” in our eyes. And then there are times when we just need to be challenged in our faith.
If friends don’t push us to be better, are they truly our friends? If pastors don’t preach the truth, but just “tickle our ears,” will we ever become sharper, more useful, more fruitful Christians?
And through the sharpening process, the benefits go both ways. “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:25) As we are sharpened, we in turn are called to sharpen others, and this brings blessing.
I am so thankful for family, friends, and pastors who have held me to the fire during difficult times. Who pushed me to keep looking to God for strength and hope. Who didn’t let me give up even when I felt completely lost. And who still to this day will not sugar-coat the truth, but tell me what I need to hear to be a more godly person.
Who do you rely on for the sharp truth? Who relies on you? Who do you need to listen to today? Who can you offer hope to today?
God, put people in my life who will be honest with me and push me to be better at following you. Help me to be open to being sharpened so that I can be a useful tool for your kingdom.
Great post Kris! This verse draws back to mind a period of time during the summer of 2023 when I was coming off of a medication which I had taken for many years. I was experiencing emotions which had been absent from my life and, like a toddler, I was throwing tantrums and freaking out about the uncertainty of the future. Our middle son, Zach, was in the midst of a spiritual growth spurt and became a demonstration of God’s upside-down kingdom to me. It is not always the older generation from whom God will provide wisdom and direction. Sometimes it is the younger people in our lives, filled with the Spirit, who can provide the sharpening we need. Zach helped me to get my feet back on the solid ground of God’s Word and continues to be an inspiration to me today.