Sharpened for Service D27022022

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CASNFCI SCRIPTURE & PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Sharpened for Service

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another

— Proverbs 27:17

Do you ever notice how people act differently after years of marriage? Constantly having to consider another person can make our wilder side grow a little gentler and give our compassion more depth. My wife and I are witnesses of this truth. We all have some rough edges that need smoothing and polishing. We all have a few things to learn about wise living. The proverb quoted above talks about this process in terms of metalworking, which is not the gentlest process. We cringe at the sound of metal scraping on metal. We are used to our rough edges and are not always eager to let them go. To lose our pointed edges, we must have a willing spirit that is open to being taught.

Are you willing to be shaped by your Christian community? Marriage is one place where we share deeply of ourselves. In a good marriage, our partner will lovingly challenge us to live out our beliefs. Likewise, we value friendships in which we are loved enough to be corrected. True friends will speak the truth in love and help us become the people God intended. Often it can feel risky to challenge another person. We don’t want to make waves or risk hurting a friendship, so we miss opportunities for growth and deeper relationship. It’s difficult to be someone who sharpens others, and perhaps even more difficult to find a trustworthy person to sharpen you. The process of helping someone else improve their effectiveness requires a positive relationship That’s why it is so important for each of us to build growing relationships with others in life. We all need people who can help us rub off the hard edges and who honestly have our best interests in mind when they do it just like Jesus. Let’s help each other to grow in love.

PRAYER

Lord, develop in us teachable heart & give us the courage to correct one another in love as we continue to grow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rev. Isaac G. Y Bangalu Founder & CE

Couples & Singles Network for Christ Initiative

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