Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (NIV)

It's amazing to me how unavoidably true so many of these proverbs are, how easily they stand the test of time. This particular verse is one of those "oldies but goodies." 

I'm pretty sure my mom recited this one to me over and over during high school and college... which means I tried to ignore it.

In high school, I hung around some of the "cool" kids on my softball team. They were popular, I wasn't, and I just wanted to be liked if I had to hang out in that school 5 days a week. Hanging out with them made me feel like it was okay to lie, okay to not turn in homework, okay to be rude to my parents. It was okay to be everything I wasn't because at least I had friends. IRON SHARPENS IRON. 

In college,  I found my first set of friends through the BSM. They were a constant encouragement in my life. With them, I grew closer to God and longed to serve others in hopes they too would begin a new journey with Christ. We went on mission trips, hosted steak nights and pancake nights, offered free lunch on Wednesdays. It was rockin! IRON SHARPENS IRON. 

However: I decided to leave the BSM my last year of college. I found some new people to hang out with, very opposite from the BSM friends. Let's just say, despite being a rather shallow deep end, I jumped off it. Church was no longer important, but getting to the square after my double on Saturday definitely was! I blew off my true friends for some faux ones, and I didn't really care (Good move, Sarah...). IRON SHARPENS IRON.

I say all that to say this: the verse stood true no matter the types of people I surrounded myself with. Even better, the iron (friends) that sharpened me in the positive way stayed by me, waited for me to come back, and helped remold me into the person I want to be. 

I feel like this verse can be a reminder to me that I will be sharpened by the people I choose to hang out with, whether I realize it or not. It's up to me to be diligent enough to pick the right people. 

Thanks, God, for true friends who point me towards you.