You’ve probably heard me talk about my high school years. Many high schoolers seek to get straight A’s. Not me. It was my goal to have fun. Honestly, I didn’t care about grades. That often got me in trouble at home, though. So I barely made it to graduation… I graduated only by the skin of my teeth and by the grace of God. I had no intention of going to college, nor would a college accept me. But God had other plans. At 21, He sent me to Bible college. Only by the grace of God was I accepted. As you know, college is much harder than high school. I was determined, though, to do well… I did not want to disappoint God. And since I didn’t know how to study and I needed help, I hung out with smart people.
Two girls in particular come to mind: Carole and Laurie. They were really smart and I needed them. We would have study sessions together. They helped me understand things. And by the time I graduated, my grade point average went up significantly. The smart ones I hung out with sharpened me. That was a GREAT decision on my part.
Our verse today speaks of an important truth: we all need to be sharpened. Of course, I’m talking about spiritually. Dull knives are useless, right? The same is true in the Christian life… dull Christians are not making an impact for the Kingdom of God. We should want to be sharp. In order for that to happen, though, we need to hang out with those who are sharper than us… those who are more mature with stronger faith. Those who are seeking God above all else. Trust me, their influence will sharpen us. I would never have graduated college if I only hung out with people like me. No, I needed students to help me.
This is what friends do for each other. This is the beauty of the body of Christ. And then once we’ve been sharpened, we should seek to sharpen others. Offer to do a Bible study with someone, invite someone to join a tribe that has helped you grow, share biblical messages, speak truth into someone’s life. If you see someone floundering in their Christian life or someone who has not grown into maturity, then come alongside them and sharpen them. This is the goal of Solid Truth Ministries… to sharpen. Christian groups focused on only food and fun are a dime a dozen. Be different. Seek to help others grow in their knowledge of God’s Word, their faith, and their love for Jesus. Let these words encourage you today.