Hello my dear
How are you on this beautiful day? I trust you and your family are well. Here’s today’s Holy Nougat
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 NLT
At the writing of this proverb, iron was still a relatively new weapon for Israel (unless it was not written by Solomon or during his era). Iron, though soft in its mostly pure state, was best utilized in alloy form where the carbon helped to strengthen it and decrease its malleability. It is said that iron doesn’t wholly exist in a pure state but is processed – like bauxite/aluminum- to become the metal with which we are somewhat familiar. (Sounds like a metaphor for humanity already!)
Sharpening iron, it seems, required heating the dull edge and pounding it back into shape with a sturdier alloy, then using the friction principle to remove the inevitable rough edges or fine tune the sharpness.
I admit to being a bit confused about the alloy’s potential impact initially. For an alloy carries more impurities (ie Carbon and other possible trace elements) and more impurities makes it stronger or tougher. Impurities being the cause of strength doesn’t sit well with me as the antidote for friendship. But what if the ‘Carbon’ which strengthens us is the Holy Spirit?
If that were to be right, then the stronger person’s strength would have originated within – through the infusion of the Holy Spirit. It also means that as friends, we have a somewhat divine mandate to speak truth IN LOVE as we hone the other friends’ impact and potential. That is, for battle or utilitarian purposes.
Are we that friend?
In some instances, as we interact (friction process – the edges intentionally rubbing at angles to hone the duller one) with each other we ought to be fine tuning our edges to prevent dullness. This often includes the falling away of certain habits and behaviors.
Are we a fine tuning friend?
In most instances, it’s the smithy who ensures the degree of sharpness of the alloy being worked on. God is our Smithy. And if we’re weak, dull or needing to offer extra sharpness to another, God is able to connect us so that our friendships impact others.
Let’s invite the Smithy to work on our friendships today.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
