Iron sharpens iron

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Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Friendship and family unity is a very important factor in our relationship with God. From the beginning, God did not want mankind to be alone. His very first command to us was to “be fruitful and multiply.” He knew ahead of time that life was going to be difficult for us to handle it alone. That’s why we have each other.

Good friends encourage one another to grow in wisdom and godliness. Sometimes being a good friend requires painful criticism. Friends should be honest with each other and hold each other accountable. Being there for one another can sharpen each other spiritually.

We can be better friends by being more honest. We can hold others accountable by communicating with them, while holding ourselves accountable with our relationship with God. No secrets should be hidden from good friends. Finding someone you can trust is critical to bearing each other’s burdens.

Supporting one another helps us just as much as the person we are supporting. You can get tasks done a lot quicker when more than one person is helping. If we know a friend in need of prayer or discipleship, let’s reach out to them and see how we can help. God wants everyone to work together. A stick by itself can be easily broken, but a bundle of twigs is harder to break. Loving one another and sticking together is the best way to go through life. Let’s not try to do anything on our own.

Whenever we feel lonely or disconnected with those around us, God’s word is always there to push us through. One way to grow in faith and spiritual maturity is to find a good Bible study group. Meeting with fellow believers in Christ once a week can do wonders. Be sure to get involved, contact a local church and see what God has in store for you.

One of the best ways to grow in your relationship with Christ is to communicate with your Heavenly Father to seek wisdom and guidance. Just like our fathers want to sharpen us and see us grow the right way, God wants the same for His children. Fathers can be a blessing to their children by showing them what it means to walk with Christ.

This week, pray about how you can strengthen and support your friends around you. Ask them how you can benefit them and reach out if they need help with anything.

Thank you for your prayers for the Grace Ministries mission trip team. We have safely arrived back from Mexico after serving an orphanage in Naco, Sonora. We’re glad to share some of the pictures with you from our trip. Visit graceministriesusa.org for more information.

June 24, 2019