"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When I think about this passage, I think about two iron rods rubbing together. As the friction increases, the heat between them increases, allowing them to create a spark between them. Although it may be uncomfortable for the rods to rub in that way, the spark that results, when fanned, becomes a flame that can’t be contained.
As the body of Christ, we forget that part of our job is to sharpen other brothers and sisters in Christ so that the flame in their hearts, put there by the Holy Spirit, continues to burn. And hopefully it will not be able to be contained in their lives. But in this non- judgmental, relative truth world in which we live makes this more and more difficult. Fear replaces caring concern to speak truth into each others’ lives. Fear keeps Christians from sharpening others.
It’s difficult to be someone who sharpens others, and perhaps even more difficult to find a trustworthy person to sharpen you. How do we find someone like that?