Proverbs 27:17. Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27 keeps returning to this theme of friendship. True friends are not afraid to rebuke one another, even wounding when necessary. True friends give good advice or counsel. They speak the truth in love, and, with wisdom, they know when and where to do it.
In today’s proverb, Solomon uses a word picture to make similar points – iron sharpening iron. Back then swords and knives were made from iron, a heavy metal. In order to make the blade of the sword sharper you would pound it with an iron hammer. Iron (the hammer) was used to sharpen iron (the sword).
This is what makes friendships different from most other relationships. Friends challenge, confront, and give advice back and forth. Generally speaking, you don’t usually have such a reciprocal relationship with people like your pastor, counselor, teachers, or often family members. Your pastor likely won’t call you for advice. Your therapist probably doesn’t run her problems by you. Your parents likely don’t come to you with their problems looking for encouragement from you. If you are married, your spouse might be a hammer, but maybe without the intention of co-sharpening.
This is what makes friendships unique and special. Friends are equals. Friends share their feelings, their problems, their hurts, on an equal level. Friends make each other better. They listen to each other, and challenge each other to do the right thing. Friends shouldn’t just agree with each other all the time, should they? As we’ve said, they should rebuke at times, wound at times, as well as pour the oil and perfume of gladness over your head.
One of the problems in society today is what sociologists and psychologists call the “shrinking self.” We surround ourselves with friends who are just like us. Same age, same life stage, same politics, same viewpoints on most things. Our friends just become another echo chamber allowing us to affirm all of our own thoughts and feelings. No push back. No differences. No disagreements. Until there is. Then our circle of friends must narrow until we are left with fewer friends that still sound like us. Thus we are shrinking ourselves.
This is why the Church is such a great place to find friends. Like we said the other day, the church is enemies that became neighbors that became friends. Christ in us unifies us, and his love for us allows us to love one another in return. Even those with whom the only thing we have in common is our union with Christ. This is the work that the Holy Spirit is performing in us every day. Hammering us into swords. Sharpening us to love, and serve, and welcome, and accept one another as we look to the cross for guidance.
Who will your union with Christ allow you to receive? To learn from? To sharpen? Hammers don’t sharpen hammers. Hammers sharpen swords. They sharpen those who are different from them, yet united to them in Christ.
You: Do you have friends that are different from you, or are you shrinking your circle of friends so that everyone sounds like you?
You in Christ: How are you allowing your union with Christ to sharpen you? In what ways has the Holy Spirit been hammering you lately?
Christ in you: How might you intentionally accept those in your church that are different from you?
Pray: Father, sharpen me with the hammer of Christ, and let me sharpen others with the hammer of unity, love, and grace. Amen.
To Live is Christ 