Dan and Deb

Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

“Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” You’ve heard it before, maybe as a young child on the playground. Possibly, you’ve even spoken these words to others when they have used negative words against you. Whether we have heard it or have spoken it, it doesn’t change the fact that the statement itself is a falsity. Words most definitely can and will hurt me, and you! On the other side of that coin, words also have the ability to build you and I up.

King Solomon, the son of King David, and the author of the above proverb, was most definitely a wise man. In I Kings chapter 4 starting at verse 29, we read that God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Further on we read that he was wiser than all men. This man, wiser than all men, wrote that as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. What he is saying is that through moral support and positive, intelligent conversation, one can make keen the intellect of his brother, building each other up, and making each other stronger. As the striking of iron upon iron, we can hone each other into stronger and more productive servants of God.

There was a time in my life when I was not a Christian. In fact, that time in my life was not very long ago and is still fresh in my mind. As I ponder this idea of iron sharpening iron and how the concept of intelligent and encouraging conversation can build one another up, it causes me to think how unintelligent and discouraging conversation can tear one another down. I used to be a man that used filthy and unclean words as a part of my regular everyday conversation. I thought nothing of it at the time. I had always used this type of language and after high school upon joining the military, it was simply the “norm.” I used these words mostly as adjectives and verbs and occasionally even as a noun. When the Lord reached down to me while I sat in a jail cell and saved me, I quit using these words in my everyday conversation. What I realized at that time wasn’t so much that this was no way for a Christian to talk, but rather, as I listened to others talk in this manner, God showed me how utterly unintelligent they sounded. These words had no purpose other than to tear down. These words hurt me, and they hurt others.

Conversation with one another, whether it be intelligent or unintelligent conversation is contagious. When we immerse ourselves with people of like mind, we tend to be more like these people. When I was in the criminal world, I talked and acted like a criminal. Now, after being saved by the Lord and being in the Kingdom of God, I talk more and act more like a child of God. Don’t get me wrong! There are times when that old man comes out and in the words of my mentor, I “flesh out.” The difference today is that I realize the mistake I have made and I am immediately convicted of my fleshly moment and I commence to repent and ask God for the strength to continue on His path and to stay off of the worldly path. As Christians, it is important that we separate being in the world from being of the world. When in conversation with a fellow believer or albeit a non-believer, we must always be aware that we are living in the Kingdom of God, and our conversation should reflect that status. As much as the temptation may be  to fall into wicked conversation while at work, or school, or among others that do not follow The Way, we must keep our focus on the Lord Jesus and remember that as iron sharpens iron, we have the power through God to sharpen the countenance of our friend, or classmate, or co-worker.

When given the opportunity to sit and have an intelligent conversation with a friend or watch a mindless television program, I believe that God would have us choose the intelligent conversation. When given the opportunity for intelligent conversation or reading a magazine with the most recent Hollywood gossip, I believe God would have us choose the intelligent conversation. It is through the study of God’s Word and intelligent conversation that we grow and learn and our minds become sharper. When our minds are sharp, we are more alert, and sober-minded and more able to defend the faith that has been delivered once unto the saints. Like the honing of the edge of a sword, we become stronger and sharper, prepared for battle in this world that we live in. As Christians, we must never forget the fact that we are in a war. We cannot allow our minds to become dull, so I urge you, brothers and sisters in Christ, to take these words that King Solomon wrote, and be as iron upon iron, and sharpen one another’s minds through intelligent conversation and in doing so, spark that fire inside of you that will cause you to fulfill the Great Commission as Jesus commanded and to do as Paul told Timothy to do, “Preach the Word.”

Praise the Lord for His Mightiness!

©D. Ficek June 14, 2009