“Iron sharpens iron” is an ancient, but powerfully relevant insight. Let’s discuss how our friendship can sharpen others.
What’s in it for me?
Think of a current or a prior friendship where you listened, advised, supported, and encouraged each other.
If you’ve enjoyed a mutually-beneficial relationship, you can easily answer the question “What’s in it for me?”
Now, those friendships are especially valuable when we’re struggling with a challenging life situation. At times we give; at other times we receive.
Regardless, both friends are sharpened by the interactions.
Unfortunately, having friends isn’t a guarantee we’re likeable or caring. How so? Well, sometimes relationships are shallow – – based on externals like wealth and power. proverbsforprofessionals.net
What’s going on here?
Mutually-beneficial friendships fulfill Proverbs 27.17, which says, in part “Iron sharpens iron…” These interactions improve both friends.
Moreover, according to Proverbs 27.9, receiving soul-level counsel is “sweet.” Thus, our friendship sharpens both of us.
Friendships that sharpen make us more pointed, penetrating, and insightful. Certainly you see these traits as good outcomes of investing time in a friendship.
Why do we need sharpening?
Over time, life wears away at us, leaving us a bit dull and unresponsive. You know, like an overused knife!
That dullness must be filed away to improve our impact and influence.
Sharpening is one role of a close friend, or a small accountability group.
However, sharpening occurs for both friends when we each have something to offer the other person. That is, there must be some “iron” in each friend’s life, in the form of previously-developed character and experiential insights.
The outcome of this mutual sharpening is personal and professional growth for both friends.
Apply This Today!
Friendships are good for us IF we bring something to the table and IF we’re willing to grow.
What happens if we’re determined to do it all ourself? Well, according to Ecclesiastes 10.10 we must exert much more effort when working with a dull tool! So, make sharpening a priority!
Mutual benefit occurs when both friends are intentional about growing themselves and sharing with others. We become sharper on purpose, that is, we’re deliberate about our influence, so we can be a positive influence on others.
Our personal growth and experiential insights are good for us. But, when we share those insights with a close friend, we multiply the impact of our experiences.
A Question to Consider
How have you made deliberate influence an aspect of your personal and professional growth?
I’m Dale Young. My posts share the balanced life to build wise character and guide wise behavior.
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