“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17, NKJV)

God created us to be social creatures. We do better in herds or packs than being isolated. Part of the reason is that we need the encouragement of friends. When we are down, a good friend can lift us up. I am deeply thankful for the friends who encourage and pray for me when they know I’m going through a rough time.

Another reason that we need good friends is that they improve our eyesight. I recently purchased a new truck that has blind spot monitoring. If I start to make a lane change, and someone is in my blind spot, it will warn me. I’m thankful for this because I don’t want to run into the person next to me! People have blind spots too. We don’t always see our own quirks. We may not recognize when we are being rude or when we have a “tone”. Maybe we have bad breath and don’t know it! A good friend will tell us the truth that we need to hear…even if we don’t want to hear it at the time.

When iron sharpens iron, there is friction, and there may even be some sparks flying. But iron cannot be sharpened without this process. Likewise, when our friends get into our face about something, there may be some conflict. But if it comes from a heart of love, then it is beneficial, and we would be wise to listen to what they say. Even if they are dead wrong, the process can sharpen us to give a better defense for what we believe.

A good friend who tells us the truth in love will improve our countenance. The wise counsel of a friend can gladden the heart and put a smile on our face. It can lift our downcast spirit and encourage us to keep pressing on.

Do you have a friend who could use some sharpening? Then reach out to him or her today!