Good morning!
Welcome to your morning coffee! May our Heavenly Father give us a fresh view of our relationships. Father, reveal to us the truth of how we interact with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Are we helping each other become more like your son? In the name of your son, Jesus help us to be honest with ourselves about the depth, or lack thereof, of our relationships with our Heavenly family. Help us to be honest, and to make whatever changes are needed. Because we are, each of us, needed by the other, Father. Help us grow, together, into the likeness of your son.
Your Morning Song: "Eye of the Storm" by Ryan Stevenson
Your Morning Scripture: Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
...
I'm sure we've all read and heard this proverb before. It is a very popular one, enough so that a massive men's ministry was created because of it. Just to make sure that we're all on the same page, the idea of this proverbs is simple, practical, useful.
Not only in faith, but in all things, we grow better together. The best expression of this is Christians coming together to help each other become more like Jesus. Even as Jesus taught us to pray he did not tell us to say, "My Father," but instead taught, "Our Father." We are called to be spiritual siblings, one body, sharpening each other in wisdom and maturity as we grow more and more like our savior.
This is a great example of the phenomena I have somewhat ridiculously labeled, "the echo-less amen." The idea is that if I were to read the beginning section of this devo out loud in church, someone is likely to say amen. But would that amen echo out into that person's life outside of church? There are a host of surveys and case-studies, and my own personal experience, that say no. What's more absurd? The label, or all too common act of compartmentalizing our walk with the God into a tight little Sunday morning space? Are we people who actually sharpen each other? Or are willing to say amen not only on Sunday morning, but in the rest of of our lives?
What about you? Who sharpens you? Who do you sharpen? This sort of thing does not happen on accident. It must be done on purpose.
Who sharpens us? Who are we sharpening? If our answers fall short of biblical obedience, then let's repent and give it another try. God will eagerly wash your feet with his forgiveness and guide you in seeking out someone to sharpen and be sharpened by.
May we be a people who intentionally seek out Spirit-led, mutual sharpening.
Commenti