Sharpening Each Other

By: Lisa Boisvert

Friday, July 4, 2025

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Fellowship with other believers is an important part of our spiritual walk. But for Christ followers, fellowship isn't just "hanging out" together. Christian fellowship is a time to encourage one another and help each other successfully apply biblical principles to our lives. We can fellowship with our families, but most of us have family members and friends who aren't believers. We love our non-believing family and friends, but they have a non-biblical world view of life. Therefore, they aren't capable of sharpening us as Proverbs 27 describes. When the world's moral and ethical issues confront us, unbelievers aren't equipped to help us.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

God's children are called to be different from the world. Worldly advice often contradicts God’s Word, and well-meaning family members may even encourage us to sin! What we would call immoral or unethical is considered O.K. by the world. That's why our unsaved family members' views often clash with our own. Since we're called to be different, the world's viewpoints and ways will usually be different than ours too, even when the people expressing them are our relatives.

Christian fellowship provides us with deep friendships, and those relationships encourage us to deepen our understanding of God’s Word. My deepest and most cherished friendships are with fellow believers. I speak with intentionality to one of my sisters in the Lord at least once a week. We challenge each others understanding of scripture, and we discuss how to better serve the Lord. We grapple with moral and ethical issues through a biblical lens, we laugh together and we cry together. Most of all, we just enjoy our special bond, one that comes from our shared walk with Jesus.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

Over the years, many believers have neglected this vital aspect of their spiritual walk. When I hear someone minimize Christian fellowship it grieves my spirit. I know from personal experience how rewarding it is to enjoy a sweet friendship that developed through following Jesus together. Iron doesn't just sharpen iron; it polishes and shines too! When we get together, we grow together.

Don't shine solo, show your light to other believers and show it to the world!