I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Masterpieces in Process
There’s a verse in Proverbs that’s often quaintly quoted when referring to a close friendship or marriage…
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” - Proverbs 27:17 NIV
Yes, we want to encourage each other, cheer each other on, and sharpen each other emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But when you truly think about the implications of such a description, this verse is anything but quaint.
Iron is sharpened through heat and friction, through cutting and slicing. As it is beaten, it is reshaped into something beautiful and purposeful and even better than before.
Sharpening is purposeful, but it can also be painful. It’s intentional friction that often results in a purer, stronger, sharper character. We aren’t sharpened by thoughtless, careless, or unintentional relationships, but we are sharpened by those who lovingly help chip away the excess junk—who can recognize and visualize the masterpiece God wants us to become.
We can be sharpened by mentors, pastors, spouses, teachers, and friends. But we can also be sharpened by the dearest friend we have—the Holy Spirit. The part of God who’s considered the third “person” of the Trinity, the One who does the refining work. The Holy Spirit is like a personal and professional metal-worker who is skilled and deliberate, focused and detailed, trustworthy and true.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
When we surrender to God’s refining work inside of us, we can help others see the work of art in themselves. So today, allow God to sharpen you. Ask Him to reveal the parts of your life that need to be refined, and then surrender to the work He wants to do inside you.
Finish Well
One of the most important parts of running a race is keeping your eyes on the finish line. If you happen to look at the other competitors, it can ruin your focus, causing you to slip up. Staying focused is crucial.
The writer of the letter of Hebrews uses this same idea when talking about our own spiritual lives. The writer encourages his readers to keep their eyes focused on Jesus while running the race of life.
When we keep our eyes on Jesus and our thoughts focused on Him, we are reminded of His great love and goodness. Keeping our eyes on Jesus helps us to not grow discouraged.
When we take our eyes off Jesus, we can lose focus on what really matters. We can become fixated on the priorities of the world around us rather than the mission of God. We can also lose our sense of value and worth if we lose sight of the love of God.
One of the reasons the author encourages his readers to focus their eyes on Jesus is because Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the ...
