Prov.27:17As iron sharpens iron… so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. NKJV 

so a friend sharpens a friend. NLT 

so one person sharpens another. NIV 

and one man sharpens another. ESV 

You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. MSG

It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade, and so one person sharpens the character of another. TPT 

Here’s the thing, many of us see ourselves as the hero or the top dog.  We think we are the best example, the one who gets it, the favored or the ideal.  

But the truth of the matter is that we don’t have a clue!  And when we think we have arrived, we then discover that we have only just begun!    We need each other to become who God wants us to be on the earth.  

And in light of our theme scripture and an understanding that sparring helps us work on our weaknesses together, the scripture earlier in Proverbs 27 makes a ton more sense…  Prov. 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” NKJV or in The Passion Translation: “You can trust a friend who wounds you with honesty, but your enemy’s pretended flattery comes from insincerity.”  

Guys we need each other to be anything in this world.  And when we are line with God, that “anything” will be everything to the one who needs it.   I want to challenge you today to listen to hear, hear to obey, obey and do!  Let’s get to work.  

I’ll leave you with Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”