Day 13 — Iron Sharpens Iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

— Proverbs 27:17 (BSB)

Have you ever seen someone sharpen a knife? One way is to rub the blade against another piece of hard metal, back and forth. The two pieces of iron rub against each other, and the blade gets sharper.

Solomon says good friends are like that. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

A good friend makes you better. Sharper. Stronger. Wiser. More like Jesus.

What does that look like between guys?

• A friend who pushes you to try harder, in sports, school or your faith.
• A friend who tells you the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. “Dude, that wasn’t cool, what you said to him.”
• A friend who won’t let you quit.
• A friend who prays with you and talks about God, not just games.
• A friend who holds you accountable, which means he asks how you’re doing with the things you’re trying to change.
• A friend who celebrates when you win, and sticks with you when you lose.

Notice that sharpening involves some friction. Iron rubbing on iron isn’t always smooth. Sometimes a good friend will challenge you, disagree with you or call you out. That might sting a little. But it’s how you grow.

A friend who only ever tells you what you want to hear, or who goes along with anything you do, isn’t sharpening you. And a friend who pulls you toward bad choices is making you duller, not sharper.

Here’s the challenge: don’t just look for friends who sharpen you. Be a friend who sharpens others. Encourage your friends. Push them to be their best. Tell them the truth kindly. Pray for them.

Some of the most important friendships in the Bible were like this: David and Jonathan, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Timothy. They made each other stronger in faith.

The right friends can change the whole direction of your life.

Think about it: Who are the friends who sharpen you? Are you sharpening anyone?

Try this: Encourage a friend today to do something good: study for a test, stick with a hard practice or do the right thing. Be his “iron.”

Dear God, thank You for friends who make me better. Help me have friends who sharpen me, and help me be that kind of friend. Help us push each other to follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.