“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17
Easily one of my favorite verses that has practical application whether you share my beliefs or not. I can never go far without being reminded of it in some way and you can never be around me for long without hearing me mention it in some context. It’s short and simple, yet profound and deep.
1) IRON HAS TO TOUCH IRON TO SHARPEN IT.
When you think about the process of iron sharpening iron, it’s apparent that the first step is for the two pieces to meet. The simple fact is that in order for sharpening to occur the pieces of iron have to come together and be close. It is impossible for iron to sharpen iron from a distance.
For me, this is a lesson of proximity. Not proximity in the sense of physical distance, but certainly in the sense of relational distance. It’s all about developing the kinds of deep connections and relationships that open the door for true growth to occur. The bottom line is you have to be close enough to care about someone’s well being, and they in turn be close enough to care for yours. If there’s not enough of an intimate and caring relationship between the two of you, it’s unlikely you will be willing to get awkward and uncomfortable enough for growth to occur, which brings us to the next point.
2) TO SHARPEN IRON REQUIRES THE DEAD AND DULL TO BE SHAVED AWAY.
It’s simple. When you sharpen iron, pieces have to be shaved away to get that nice, sharp edge. To be near one another is not enough. Simply putting one piece of iron near another doesn’t do the trick. It requires action. It requires you to take one piece of iron and use it to literally cut into the other. Friction occurs. Heat spreads. Sparks fly.
To sharpen is not a reshaping process. It’s a shaving process. I personally have struggled with this for a long time. I could tell you story after story of how I felt I could simply reshape bad habits and they would somehow produce good. “I don’t have to cut anything away. I can simply change the way I do things.” Admittedly not my most sound reasoning, but I convinced myself it was true.
While it’s a hard pill to swallow, what’s dead is dead and must be removed. What’s dull is dull and must be shaved away.
This simple fact paints a painful picture filled with awkward situations and uncomfortable conversations. But, the iron-y (see what I did there) is this is where growth happens. When you remove the dead and dull, it makes way for the living and sharp to grow. This is how we are sharpened in our faith and our character, and it takes being willing to take part in awkward situations and uncomfortable conversations that challenge us.
It is a simple process, but it’s definitely not an easy one. In the long run though, it’s easier to do now as opposed to later, because….
3) WHEN THE BATTLE HAS BEGUN, IT’S TOO LATE TO SHARPEN THE SWORD.
It’s hard to fight the good fight when your weapon isn’t ready for any fight at all. For me, this is an easy trap to fall into. To neglect the sharpening of my sword and faith. It’s easy to see where this story ends. I know it all too well and I’m willing to bet you do, too. The storm comes and the enemy attacks, and we’re caught with a weapon we haven’t sharpened. We turn weak, our faith falters and it takes everything we have just to keep our head above water.
I don’t know about you, but for me that’s a terrible feeling. So, the solution? The solution is to properly prepare prior to the battle. Let’s face it. Life is going to happen. It always does. There will be a little more month left at the end of the paycheck. There will be an argument that deteriorates your relationship until it’s ready to collapse. There will be whispered temptation to seduce that woman and take her home for the night. To insure that you stand victorious when these battles come your way you have to sharpen your faith and character in advance. The decision whether or not to make a life altering decision is rarely made in the moment. Those decisions are made well in advance almost at an unconscious level and what happens in the moment is merely a reflection of the conditioning of your heart and mind.
4) IF I HAVE THE ONLY SHARP SWORD IN THE ARMY, WE ARE DOOMED.
When push comes to shove, I don’t want to be fighting the good fight alone. This part is easily overlooked and brings us right back to where we began. Iron sharpens iron, and man sharpens man.
Through the process of surrounding myself with those who can sharpen me, I need to make sure I’m also sharpening others in return. I know that I am not nearly as strong as I sometimes think I am, which is why it’s important to have others who are sharp to surround me with support. When it’s time to fight and decisions need to be made, my own faith and understanding rarely will be enough to guide me correctly. But when I have a strong support system of people who sharpen me and who I’ve sharpened, in times of trial and tribulation I can seek guidance and counsel from them.
Having other’s with sharp swords around you is a comforting feeling. It’s always good to know there are people that have your back. Strength is found in numbers, especially when those numbers have proactively and purposely sharpened themselves together.
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