“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17
Proverbs 27:17 is a much loved verse and often quoted as a way of explaining how close friendships make us better. However, I was recently reading an article by Biblical scholars which made the case that this is actually a negative proverb. In it they state that the proper understanding of this verse is that conflict between people can make us bitter and defensive. I am no Biblical scholar, but I think both interpretations have truth in them.
Have you ever seen a tool or a weapon being sharpened? There is great heat and noise; the sparks fly! The idea is that material is being removed. This process can leave us broken and ineffective, but it can also leave us sharp and ready for the work God has intended for us or the battles that lie ahead. So what is the difference? We become ineffective when we allow a conflict with our brother or sister in Christ to make us bitter and angry. However, when we listen to them and trust the Spirit working in them, we can often see our mistakes and the areas in which we need to grow.
The truth is, both parties need to have some material removed before we can be completely effective for God’s Kingdom. I have often found that, when I disagree with a trusted brother or sister, there is some area of my life that needs to change. However, there is also some area of their life that needs to change. We can allow this process to turn into conflict and leave us bitter and ineffective, or we can allow this process to sharpen us for the work and battles that lie ahead. It all depends on whether or not we approach the situation with pride and arrogance, or with love and humility. So the next time you find yourself begin to bristle at what a loved one in Christ says, step back, take a moment, and pray;
“Lord, please show me the areas that need to change, remove the material that is in the way, and allow this friction to produce what it is You desire in me.”
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon <><