Relationships

"Iron sharpeners iron, so a man sharpeners the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17
This verse from Proverbs produces such strong mental imagery. We can almost see the blacksmith's hammer positioned above his head before it descends with a vibrant ringing on the glinting side of a dull sword. Or perhaps the scene shifts to the midst of a heated battle with the vision of the blacksmith or the soldier, there is a seemingly violent and almost destructive nature to this process of iron sharpening iron. What an interesting presentation the author of this Proverb is giving to represent friendship.
Do you have an iron in your life? That person who either attacks or defends in any given situation? Or maybe they just constantly bang against you, flattening you more and more with each blow. While we may prefer to be with people who are easygoing and always agree with us, it is these seemingly more contentious relationships that sharpen our character. As we counter with them back and forth our arguments are honed and convictions solidified. If nothing else, they give us many opportunities to practice patience, forgiveness, and grace. But let us not forget, that we give others those same opportunities as we are the iron in their lives as well.
God, we help us to love the people that you have placed into our lives even if it's uncomfortable. May we be willing to endure the hard work of developing our character, while helping others to do the same.