As Iron Sharpens Iron

• Why is it good to have friends who are Christians?

• When is conflict with a friend a good thing?

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

Though it may not be obvious at first glance, the words of Proverbs 27:17 describe friendship—specifically the friendship between two believers. The image the writer uses—iron sharpening iron—says a lot about how friendship works.

Sharpening a knife takes some skill and the right tools. A metal blade cannot be sharpened with cloth or wood. To sharpen a knife, we need something equally strong—a sharpener that is also metal. When the solid knife comes into contact with the equally solid sharpener, it creates friction. In the midst of that friction, the knife’s dullness is shaved away.

So it is with Christian friends. When we have contact with people who are as solid as we are in their relationship with Christ, it has an effect on us. It sharpens us. It knocks away our dullness. It strengthens our relationship with Christ and with each other.

Sometimes the process involves friction. Sometimes other believers need to tell us things we don’t want to hear about ourselves. They may shine light on areas we need to correct. But the ultimate result is worth it. A sharp Christian is a God-pleasing Christian.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for the believers you have put in our lives to sharpen us. Help us be the type of Christians who sharpen others as well. Amen.