Proverbs 27:17 " As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Think about two pieces of metal sharpening each other. What images do you see? Sparks? Heat? I have the picture of a big strong blacksmith pounding a piece of glowing metal with his hammer. Sparks flying as he beats the metal into form. Then I see him sharpening his blade, sparks fly, sweat drips from his brow. He is dirty and tired, yet there is a glow radiating from him as he looks at his work.
I believe that people we encounter in our lives act as the hammers or other pieces of metal that sharpen us. Sometimes we get pounded into submission and other times we are just grinding against someone. However the method the results are still the same - we come one step closer to being that instrument we were designed to be. Are all relationships or people in our lives positive? Absolutely not - but they all help shape us. If we allow ourselves to be influenced by negative relationships we may find ourselves back on the anvil getting beat up again - but we are still changed.
It is important to have someone in our lives that we can confide in; someone that helps sharpen our spirits and our souls. A true friend can help us become more than we could ever be on our own. This person can hold us accountable for our actions, they know are secrets and love us anyway. They encourage us in our times of weakness and comfort us when we fail. Together we endure the trials and tribulations of our lives and help each other to learn from the experiences.
Like iron, left alone and unchallenged we too will rust. When we are engaged and stimulated we can become more than we once were. People were never designed to be alone, we are social beings and thrive in that environment. When we allow ourselves to be "worked" and forged we may start to realize what we are called to be.
Next time you feel the pressures of daily life, or your friend really says something that stings a bit - ask yourself if you are being "messed with" or are you being "sharpened"?
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