Reading Plan:  

Proverbs 27:17 

Stay Sharp

Author: Kelsey Walsh

“Where do you get your knives sharpened?” 

It wasn’t a question I expected right as I was hurriedly prepping food for House Church in my kitchen with my hair on fire (I’m a high-key Martha, in case you wondered). It honestly wasn’t a question I expected, ever. Nor has anyone ever asked me before. 

“Um…I…don’t.” My friend looked at me strangely, as if I had just confessed that I don’t brush my teeth. He didn’t mean anything by it. He had recently moved to Laurel from out of state, was in a different stage of life than me, and had a different set of priorities (and knife-sharpening must have been relatively high on the list). 

Looking back on it now, his question wasn’t all that crazy. Something that wasn’t even on my radar was very important to him. It makes me wonder how often we miss things because we’re only looking from our own perspective. 

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” “Another,” here, translates as “the face of another,” and the word “face” can refer to the edge of an ax or sword. The idea here is that interaction with a good person (both as he encourages and corrects) hones one’s skill in handling challenges. 

I love that encouragement and correction go hand-in-hand; the sharpening and the cutting. You really can’t do one well without the other. This verse is a beautiful picture of what House Church is about: a cross-section of believers, diverse in age, race, background, and stage of faith encouraging and lovingly correcting each other. 

There are some Wednesday nights when I’m tired, and I don’t feel that much like having company. But spending time with good people who encourage and correct me sharpens me to face whatever the world throws at me the next week. I’m so excited to start back on August 10. 

In the meantime, I’ll pose you with the same question: “Where do you get your knives sharpened?” 

Reflection:  

• Identify some people in your life who keep you spiritually sharp. Send a quick text to thank and encourage them. 
• Who in your circle of influence can you sharpen through discipleship? 
• If you’re not part of a community of believers, consider joining a House Church this fall. To find one near you, visit venturechurch.org/housechurch. 

Family Application: Sharp Knives 

Author: Nichole McCardle 

• Have you ever seen someone try to cut their food with a dull knife? It probably did not work very well, right? For a knife to work its best, it has to be sharp. To sharpen a knife, you need to use a hard metal, like iron. Did you know that just like iron sharpens iron (a knife), you can sharpen your friends and they can sharpen you? Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” To be “spiritually sharp”, means that we are growing closer to God and allowing Him to use us to lead others to know, love, and follow Jesus. We can sharpen each other by praying together, being a good example of a friend, encouraging each other, and even correcting each other when needed. 
• Think about your best friends. Are they helping to sharpen you for God? Are you helping sharpen them? 
• Praying with and for our friends helps us to sharpen each other. Ask a friend this week how you can pray for them. 
• Prayer: God, You are wonderful! Thank You for giving me friends and family that can sharpen me and help me to sharpen them too! Amen.