“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

“A jewel is a godly friend; nothing is more powerful than a loyal, faithful friend who will pray for you.”  This unknown quote reminds me of how valuable it is to surround ourselves with a network of honest and faithful friends; these are the individuals who will stretch us to grow in the faith, challenging us to work more fervently for the Lord; and even though they will love us, they are not relaxed in letting us walk in error. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

The Apostle Paul valued the relationships he had with faithful friends. He surrounded himself with godly individuals who could help him achieve two things: 1) his God given mission and 2) his conformity to Christlikeness. While God richly used Paul to influence the lives of others, he was also built up and strengthened by his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ; that is the Lord’s wonderful plan for all His beloved children. It was never meant for us to walk this Christian journey alone. Genesis 2:18 states: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

The best relationships are fostered among those who are mentally and spiritually in tune with one another; someone who seems to know just what you need at the right moment- you can call on them day or night… and engage in a heart-to-heart talk that will somehow center around thoughts and actions that are pleasing in the sight of God and uplifting to our souls; it is a win-win situation, where both parties benefit and desire to see each other grow spiritually sound above all things. Hebrews 10:24 admonishes us: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

Think about it, do you have certain relationships that motivate you to follow God more passionately? It is important to watch who we allow into our circle of influence. Our Heavenly Father equips other faithful believers to encourage, pray, and urge us toward a closer walk with Him. Good spiritual relationships help us to fulfill God’s plan for humanity and the up building of His kingdom.

So, let us earnestly pray for discernment to choose true, godly friendships as we travel along this journey home; God will faithfully send individuals into our lives that will sharpen us for His glory, and who will encourage, and comfort us just when we need it the most!

God’s blessings of grace and peace be with you all.