If you aren’t growing, you cannot sharpen others.

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

Most people don’t think about their sharp bladed tools, like knives or axes. But if you work in a filed that relies on the sharpness of metal, then you are likely always thinking about it. Perhaps you are a chef, needing qualities knives for countless tasks in the kitchen, or maybe a hair stylist who, without sharp shears, will be unable to cut the hair of their clients. We use blades all the time, too, even if we don’t think about it. The paper cutter at the office, the steak knives at dinner, even pruning the plants in the yard.

Keeping sharp things sharp is important, and there are a lot of ways to ruin a blade very quickly. Not cleaning after use can lead to rust. Throwing or dropping can cause bending or misshaping. Misuse can cause nicks or gauges. Some of these things can be repairs, but most will leave a permanent scar and may lead to the tool needing to be retired. To care for the blades, the need to be sharpened. This can be done on a stone, but it can also be done as the Proverbs passage states. Two iron blades scraped together will cause both to become sharper.

God has put us into communities so that we can help one another. It isn’t about us needed to be social, but rather our interactions with other believers will cause us both to be sharpened, both will continue to grow and be able to continue helping others. If we stop growing, if we become dull or damaged from neglecting our faith communities and our relationship with God, then we cannot sharpen others. The nicks in our blades with hurt others, the rust might spread or make us brittle, the warping will make sharpening attempt inefficient or potentially damaging.

Blades on a shelf or buried in the ground are forgotten and of no use.

Blades amongst others have purpose and great work for the one who uses them.

Pax,

Paul Hart Cochran