I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how people in this world influence us, as followers of Christ, in both positive and negative ways.
I believe we are fully responsible for what we allow to influence us, especially the people we choose to attend to. The loudest, most impactful voices we listen to should be the voices that reflect the Spirit of God and the wholesome truth of his word.
Scripture provides this admonition,
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Prov. 27:17).
Only iron (or something even stronger than iron, like a diamond) can sharpen a blade made of iron. If we try to sharpen a blade by banging it against wood or stone, the blade will become duller, not sharper. And the surface the blade is hitting will probably be damaged in the process.
Though I have known individuals with a sturdier faith than mine, I’d like to believe that after more than forty years of walking in the refining fire of God’s word, my faith has some iron in it. I pray it is strong enough to hold up in all circumstances.
But my faith is not perfect or perfectly pure, I must say. There is still distance to travel, and tests yet to come that will prove its durability. Only when I get to the end and stand before the Lord will I know exactly how well I stood.
As I aspire to this, like many of you reading this, I am daily engaged with the word of God as my primary source of truth and wisdom. I have trusted in its authority and with much experience, can say that it has never let me down. I have also greatly benefitted from the wise guidance of others with iron in them when they care enough to come near to sharpen me.
The Bible gives us a sure foundation. Any other brick added, from whatever source, either adds to or detracts from the truth that I have taken in from the Scriptures.
Those who would be teachers and influencers in the Lord are admonished to be skilled workers of the word, to “rightly divide” (2 Tim 2:15) it. The NTFE translation of this verse renders it that we are to be—
“[workers] who have no need to be ashamed, who can carve out a straight path for the word of truth. “
The blade of truth must remain sharp if it is to carve a straight path. Jesus proclaimed that he brought a sword. A sword of truth, of power, of love, of conviction. He rightly prophesied that it would divide those who believe it from those who reject it.
This sword metaphor is also used in Hebrews 4:12, the theme verse for my blog and website, Scripture Comes to Life:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
If there is iron in us, and in our words, we become wise, and have wise discernment to share with others. We can cut a path through the foolishness of the world without being touched by it.
As we navigate the contemporary spiritual and sociopolitical landscape these days, it becomes abundantly clear that as believers we must choose carefully who we allow to speak into our lives and influence our attitudes and actions.
The writer of Proverbs stated, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get into trouble” (Prov. 13:20).
I first wrote about this topic in 2021, living in a terribly conflicted landscape full of paranoia, isolation, and germ warfare. Our social worlds had shrunk, and many people became frightened, judgmental, bitter, and vulnerable to a variety of deceptions.
Since then, it has become increasingly acceptable for people across the political and cultural spectrum to say absolutely hateful, dishonest, and perverse things with no apparent consequence.
I am a free speech advocate, so I’m not suggesting that voices be censored, except in the most extreme cases where individuals or people groups are being directly harmed or threatened with harm. I mean HARMED or THREATENED, not just offended.
With the loud clamor of voices shouting anything and everything out into the spaces we share, especially online, it can be difficult to discern what to welcome in and what to shut out.
A couple of passages come to our rescue, reminding us what is worth thinking about. The first is Paul’s discourse on love in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul seeks to establish that everything we say or do should be ruled by divine love, which he then describes:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (v. 4-7).
How much impatience, unkindness, envy, boasting, pride, dishonor, self-seeking, anger, and delighting in evil are we confronted with every time we enter the social media fray? Why would we want to bathe in it all day? To satisfy our flesh?
(Ouch. Ruth is preaching to herself today.)
Here is the second, where Paul teaches us not what to think, but how to think:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8).
Again I ask, how much lying, shameful, wrong, impure, unlovely, or detestable thinking should we imbibe each day, when there are admirable, excellent, praiseworthy things to imbibe instead?
It might take some time and effort to find the iron people, those who have been forged in the crucible of God’s fire, but it is well worth it.
I hope this speaks to you as much as it speaks to me at this current moment.
As a writer, I am still learning how to wisely observe the wreckage around me without staring at it all day, and to share words that point to the kingdom of God, where the battle against hate, negativity and deception will cease forever. I hope that I can be a trustworthy, iron person for you, and you for me.
God help us all to be iron for one another, that we all would be sharp and ready to stand for him.
