“IRON SHARPENS IRON!”

 Proverbs 27:17                                  (ESV)

“”IRON SHARPENS IRON”, and one man sharpens another.”

There are some people that “just rub me the wrong way”!  No matter how hard I try to acquiesce to their point of view, when “IRON SHARPENS IRON”, most of the time it causes sparks to fly, displaying BOTH points of view are being finding resistance, causing each to become sharper tools???

Being CHANGED, as “IRON SHARPENS IRON”, is commonly an uncomfortable experience.  When two pieces of metal are brought together and the jagged edges are sometimes forcibly removed, sparks and heat are commonly generated by the friction.  But that friction can also bring about a sharpening affect when the rough edges are made smooth.  

Some people are “blessed” with greater abilities to SHARPEN than others.  For most of my adult life I have been too rigid caused  in my strict view of “how things are” to BELIEVE that GOD might be WORKING HIS WILL in their lives, even if they were causing persecution with their actions.  The Apostle Paul comes to mind.  He held the coats of the people that stoned Stephen in Acts chapter seven, and then in Acts chapter nine Saul was TRANSFORMED by JESUS into a NEW MAN!  

The pain and discomfort caused by Saul (later known as Paul) towards Stephen was used to bring great distress and turmoil, but GOD was in CONTROL, even in Acts 7:54-60!  Stephen was martyred, Saul was converted, and ultimately as “IRON SHARPENS IRON” GOD used ALL THINGS to work for HIS GOOD!  What APPEARS to be “good” at times IN OUR VIEW might need to be placed into a different prism!!!