Focus: Proverbs 27:17 - KJV
17. Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
1 Samuel 19:1-7
There is no way wood is to sharpen an iron. When the iron is kept in the fire and retrieved, to smite it into a sharp object, another iron is used. Unless there is a separate iron to help the blazing iron, it just gets heated up for nothing. The same is the situation of men. When a man is heated up by the circumstances of life, particularly the seeming negative ones, he needs the intervention of his friends, in the same caliber, to cause his shaping into form so that the heat he experienced does not become vain in his life. Unfortunately, most friends in society today are rather woods and not iron, as they qualify as ‘frienemies’ in that, rather than seek a way to succor their blazing friend, they rather rejoice over his tribulation and wish his pain continues. They are never in the template of God.
David was a favored man by God. When he came into contact with the king, he was first loved. But when his praises by the women became strong and overshadowed that of the king, (also perhaps with the activities of some palace rats who were bent on putting him out of the king’s favor by feeding the king with wrong tails about him), the king’s countenance towards him changed. But there was another iron in Prince Jonathan. When he became aware of the situation between the king and his friend David, even though the palace rats had touted the information that David may have been anointed king in waiting, the prince interceded with the king on behalf of his friend such that by the reaction of the king, David was succored and the heat he felt was taken off. His countenance was sharpened by the intervention of Jonathan.
Unlike the friends we have in the world today, God expects our friendship with one another to be selfless just like that of Jonathan towards David. So many friends would rather have their friend killed or ostracized because they assume he is ambitious enough to want to be promoted above them. They will go to all ungodly lengths to malign and mispresent the same before “the king” so as to make the king detest him the more. Rather than sharpen the countenance of their friend, whom they now count as enemy, they do things to aggravate his pain and pressure. This cannot be the love that God demands from us. Unfortunately, even though it may take a while, every evil done to worsen the countenance of a friend, rather than sharpen it, shall be brought to reckoning. The Lord is only served when we, as friends, become the iron that sharpens the countenance of our friends, particularly those that are of the household of faith.
SOLUTION: Love is kind, compassionate, caring and gentle. The whole of the commandments of God point to love. It is never loving to malign others for self-aggrandizement. Rather, let us work to get those who are estranged to reconcile rather than tear them apart irreconcilably. God is watching and He is indeed a rewarder. Hence, He says blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.
Please pray:
· Give thanks to God for loving you
· Ask the Lord to keep far from you enemies that pretend to be friends seeking only your hurt at all cost
· Pray that the Lord will take power away from those who utilize power only to hurt you and others
· Ask God to empower you so that you may become a strong iron who will be able to sharpen others so that the will of God may be fulfilled
· Ask for your daily bread
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name.
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