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“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

Arms full, I sat down my computer bag and darted for the Coke machine.  Road trip thirst had left me longing for some caffeine.  Quenched my parched throat and headed to the hotel reservation desk.  Checked in, glanced at watch 11:30 pm and dragged myself to our room. However, the organizer in me couldn’t quite slip into bed without first unpacking my bags, nibbling on some stale cookies and recharging my computer.  Problem was my computer bag was missing.

Calm husband searched the room, while I remained in a panic.  No bag found, we began retracing our steps and then I remembered lugging it into the hotel lobby.  Last place, I’d seen that bag.  Sweet husband went down to the front desk and found my now “suspicious bag” in the manager’s office and rescued it before they called the police. Amazing how our world now views anything left, discarded as suspect.

Got anything in our lives that looks suspicious?   Any reasons for others to question or be alarmed by our behavior, our words, our Facebook posts, etc.  Now one might quickly respond that others shouldn’t judge, question or zero in on our world.  One might even be tempted to dismiss a friend’s probing conversation.  But God’s word reminds us that “iron sharpens iron” – don’t we want iron in our friendships?  Don’t we want to be more than acceptors and excusers when things don’t seem to be okay?

What if the suspicious bag in the hotel lobby was not my computer?  The safety of all the guests could have been compromised.  Same thing is true in our world.  I’d much rather explain what looked suspect than dismiss what could be a huge red flag. Godly friends dig deep because they value the souls of those they love.  They pray and seek God’s wisdom and timing in asking hard questions.  They always confront the issue without attacking the person. And they treat others the way they desire to be treated – full of grace, love and mercy.

“Father, You have safeguarded our lives with those who have earned the right to speak into our “suspicious” places. Give us courage and grace to be iron that sharpens iron.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life