Iron Sharpeneth Iron Prov. 27: 17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The Bible says, Iron sharpeneth iron.  You see how this works in 1 Sam 13:21, “Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.”  These instruments that were sharpened are the:

• Mattock – like a pick ax.
• Coulter – a sharp steel wedge that cuts vertically through the soil and precedes the plow.
• Fork – like a pitch fork or an earth fork.
• Ax – hatchet.
• Goad – a pointed instrument used to prod into motion.

These had to be sharpened with a file – the rubbing of the file against the iron caused something to be filed off on each side of the blade causing it to sharpen.

So, as you spend time with people they are going to “rub off on you” – determine then what you would like be as you mature and hang around those people – remember that you get the good with the bad so be sure to balance your contacts – in Phil 4:9 Paul rubbed off on the Philippians – Jesus trained his disciples this way.

Remember that you also sharpen the countenance of your friends – so what you are is going to rub off on others if you have contact with other people – how do you want to influence them?  You can be a good influence or a bad influence just by the things you do and say.

Here are some things to consider:

Make your friends sharper – always try to find a way to be a help to your friends – by just being around you they should want to improve.

Stay sharp yourself – spend plenty of time with Jesus and with good men in counsel – you can tell when you are getting dull.

Use your sharpness for the harvest – the good sharp instruments of 1 Sam 13:21 were for cultivating and working in the field and in husbandry.

Be careful with sharp instruments – you can hurt somebody (scalpel versus sword).