Keeping Sharp

I’m home a lot more these days due to a recent surgery so I actually have time to cook some of my favorite dishes. Today’s menu called for Red Potato and Bacon salad. I dug out my butcher block cutting board from the cupboard, rinsed the potatoes, and grabbed my knife to begin the prep work. I diced about 3 potatoes when I realized the task was much more difficult than I anticipated. The dullness of my knife caused the blade to slip against the skin of the potato, so the even and precise cuts I expected were not happening. Heading to the pantry I grabbed the knife sharpener I recently unearthed from the depths of the pantry shelves. Returning to my work area, I sharpened the blade of my knife. Oh my goodness, what a difference! With just a few quick swipes my knife was razor sharp and the potato dicing went forward without a hitch.

The experience with my dull knife reminded me of this familiar verse:

As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

This verse speaks to the importance of both friendship and accountability. I am blessed to have strong relationships with many people I call friend. Those who love me best are not the ones who agree with me all the time. The friends who love me enough to question my thought processes and decisions make me better. When I find myself lost in isolation and my senses become dull, they encourage me in my walk of faith and keep me accountable to the ways of the Lord. I trust these friends and know they have my best interests at heart. Oh my goodness, what a difference!

I do the same for them. Together we keep one another sharp as we walk through this fallen world toward our heavenly home.