“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17)
While most every men’s group on the planet has used this for its theme verse, there’s a really important reminder for us here:
We need friends. We cannot maintain a healthy, growing, maturing faith without relationships with others. Consider just a few of the ways true friends sharpen and strengthen us:
1. True friends are loyal even when life gets rough
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Prov. 17:17)
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24)
2. True friends will always speak the truth in love, even when it hurts
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” (Prov. 27:5-6)
3. True friends aren’t just a good time, but give good advice
“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (Prov. 27:9)
Speak the truth on the (Christian) blogs and all you get for it is censored.
The clay really is baked, on so many of these sites. The truth does hurt, doesn’t it.
– theoldadam.com/
Yes sir.
On the other hand, you can get blacklisted by the self-appointed ‘discernment’ police for not ‘speaking the truth’ *enough*- if you don’t devote your entire online presence to heretic witch hunts and spitting venom at all the preachers you don’t like.
It’s a sad state… people are either mindless drones or the internet inquisitors. Very little balance of grace and truth.
-David Kent (www.TheDavidKent.com)
You definitely can get burned for sure.