Useful tools for the Master.

The Problem

Have you ever tried to peal an orange with a dull knife? This normaly causes as it were a slaughtering of the orange. Another challenge that i have found is to dice up onions with a dull knife.

A number of us have been doing some farming. In my younger years while I worked on the coffee farms of woodford and my own farm I would often get blisters in my hand from using the matcheti (cutlass). it was not just that i was using that Matchete the real problem was that the cutlass was dull.

Have you heard that story of the timbermen that were in the forrest cutting timber. well you see they were cutting timber but one would stop and go somewhere in the forrest to sit and then after a while He would re-join the the team and cut timber and would end up cutting more timber than his co-workers at the end of the day.

Our text for meditation this morning was taken from the book of proverbs which is known as “wisdom literature.” In Scripture, wisdom is a moral and practical quality: wisdom guides the individual of sound character to make decisions which are both right and beneficial.

The Book of Proverbs begins with a section written in praise of wisdom (chaps. 1–9). The rest of the chapters contain brief, often unrelated sayings that sum up wisdom’s way in a number of issues of human life.

Here we find the writers speaking out on marriage, work, poverty, raising children, and a number of other topics that are relevant to everyone’s life. Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher’s Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1987), 343.

Chapter 27:17 states

17 As iron sharpens iron,

So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (27:17)

27:17. When iron is rubbed against another piece of iron it shapes and sharpens it. Similarly people can help each other improve by their discussions, criticisms, suggestions, and ideas. On the influence of companions, whether good or bad, on one’s life see 13:20; 22:24–25

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 2300 חָדַד (chadad)

חָדַד chadad (292b, 1119d); a prim. root; to be sharp, keen:—keener(1), sharpened(3), show yourself sharp(1)

Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon I. חָדָה

יָ֑חַד Pr 27:17a; Hiph. sharpen (fig.), Impf. apoc. יַ֫חַד Pr 27:17b; בַּרְזֶל בְּבַרְזֶל יָ֑חַד וְאִישׁ יַחַד פְּנֵי־רֵעֵהוּ let iron by means of iron grow sharp, and let a man sharpen the countenance (presence, bearing) of his friend;

The NET Bible First Edition Notes Notes for 27:17

41 tn Heb “sharpens the face of his friend.” The use of the word “face” (cf. KJV, ASV “countenance”) would here emphasize that it is the personality or character that is being sharpened. Constructive criticism sharpens character.

In other words we must talk with each other; we should socialize with each other; we should pray with each other; we should listen to each other; we should support each other; we should learn from each other; we should correct each; we should look out for each other; we should be honest with each other; we should be patient with each other; we should respect each other; we bond together as a ministerial fraternity so that our ministry can be sharper and fellowship can be strong.

The truth is, we need each other this is why i have learnt to love fraternity. it’s a place where we can grow and be the minister that God wants us to be. So let Iron sharpen Iron so that we can be useful tools for the Master.