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The Jewel of Discipleship
“Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17 (NASB)
Even though iron is not what we think of as a jewel, it is a metal that was used for jewelry in ancient times. During the time of Moses and the conquest of Canaan, iron was a rare metal and used mainly for jewelry such as bracelets and rings.
The presence of iron in the Promised Land was a symbol of the richness of the land. Because it was a harder metal than copper or bronze, it had to be extremely hot to work with it. It was pounded out with an iron hammer and then sharpened with an iron file. Later it became the metal of choice for tools and weapons.
The imagery of iron sharpening iron in this Proverb is worth our consideration as we think about the “jewel” of Discipleship.
How Does Discipleship Work?
The Proverb mentioned above speaks of one believer sharpening another believer. In the New Testament this is the picture of discipleship. One believer sharpens another believer by involving themselves in their lives; sharing with them the lessons they have learned in the Christian walk.
As I reflect on God’s hand in my life, I marvel at how He used others in my life to disciple me. Sunday school teachers, GA leaders and Youth ministers tied into my life as a child and teenager. They taught me the Bible, encouraged me to memorize scripture, and exposed me to mature Christians whom I could look up to and follow their examples. What a treasure that my parents saw to it that I was involved in church!
As a college student, God brought mature believers into my life to disciple me in studying Scripture. I was encouraged to memorize scripture in a systematic way. Then as a young wife and mother, precious friends entered my life and taught me so much through their walks with the Lord. I was exposed to many wonderful authors. I consider many of those authors as my mentors. Even though I never met them personally, they shaped my walk as a Christian.
At a significant point in my life, I realized that God had used all of these people to disciple me. He brought special people into my life at just the right time. They lived their lives next to mine, shared books with me, and taught me the Word of God. They modeled before me how to walk with the Lord. I will forever cherish my dear friends, Amy, Leslie, Paul, and John (later became my husband) and the impact they had and continue to have on my life.
Tools for Discipleship
That brings me to my Post for today….
