Daily Devotional For Thursday, April 9, 2026
Good morning Southside. Proverbs 27:17 says:
“Iron sharpens iron, So, one man sharpens another” (NASB).
This is an awesome Proverb that stresses the importance of a loving, caring and compassionate friend. In biblical days, when a knife or sword became dull, they would take that dull blade and rub it against the blade of a very sharp blade on another sword or knife. This creates heat or tension. The point is that the “sharp blade on the sword or knife” is the sharpening blade for that friend. In the Hebrew language, a blade’s edge was also a metaphor or euphemism for a person’s face. To sharpen means to “confront with one’s tongue face to face” a friend who has become dull in their walk with the Lord.
The point is if you have a Christian godly friend who does not shy away from being critical with constructive criticism and wisdom, you are blessed. While their words may hurt, or cause tension or heat in the relationship, if you accept it, then you are sharper for the Lord. Having a godly Christian friend who is more concerned about your successful walk and relationship with the Lord than they are your feelings or the relationship. They become in the hands of the Lord a very effective sharpening tool.
This proverb also stresses the persistence of this kind of friend. They will not let up because they know too much is at stake if they do – your relationship to the Lord and their relationship to you personally. This is the point of Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy” (NASB). When you have a godly Christian friend like this, the point God is making you succeed more effectively in your daily tasks.
God says that we become sharper when our inconsistencies are pointed out, when our blind spots are brought into the light and when my character flaws are challenged by a godly friend, we become sharper, better, less dull to ourselves. By having a “sharp” godly friend or a “hard” (or true) friend, we become soft to hearing the voice of the Lord. As with Pharaoh in Egypt with Moses, his heart continued to become more hardened. Without godly Christian true friends, our hearts will harden also.
Reflection Assignment: Do you have a godly Christian friend like this? Are you that kind of godly Christian friend to someone else? When it comes to your godly friends, are you honest with them? Do you hold them accountable spiritually? Do you fear the tension and heat that may come from being that kind of godly friend?
Scripture To Meditate On: Psalm 141:5, “Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, please help me to be this kind of friend and challenge me to ask my closest Christian friends to be this way with me without getting defensive. Lord, I never want my heart hard to You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly