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Proverbs 27:17 – Who Sharpens You?
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 ESV)

When you are stuck in sin, what are you compelled to do? Are you compelled to engage other believers and prayerfully work through sin’s power in your life? Hopefully that is the case, but for many believers we urge ourselves to withdraw, retract, and disengage from those who would walk through our sin with us. This is the last thing we should do! It can be embarrassing admitting we have messed up.

Let us remember, as Christians, we are called to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16).  This is not an irrational rule meant to shame us into compliance. Contrarily, it is intended for our benefit and building one another up in love and grace. What we seem to forget is that what we struggle with others have or do as well. Our Christian brother or sister has already been through what we have and can be there to help us through it. Don’t let pride keep you in sin!! We may be grieved by our sin but continue to live in it because we aren’t confessing it and being sharpened in our fight against it. Repentance is much more than feeling sorry about our sin, it is literally turning around and going the opposite direction.  Rather than living in the dark and returning to sin, confess your sin to a brother or sister and stay accountable to him or her. When this happens, you will find you both become sharper, more useful tools for the Lord.

Who sharpens you?

Prov. 28:2

Proverbs 28:2 – Transgression as Idolatry
When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue. (Proverbs 28:2)

Today, let’s do something a little different, and outline, unpack, and apply Proverbs 28:2.

When a land transgresses,…

What is transgression? Transgression is sin, or leaving the bounds of right relationship with God. It is idolatry because it flows from our hearts being satisfied with things far below God (Psalm 16:11).

…it has many rulers,…

What’s wrong with many rulers? When we transgress the bounds of our devotion and relationship with God, we submit to the rule of the false gods (idols) that we pursue. However, rather than serving a God who is One (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) and unchanging, we are ruled by many gods unified in chaos and destruction. Their rule will always result in strife, enmity, and the degradation of relationships.

What’s so bad about idolatry? Transgression is idolatry, and as we can see, idolatry is tyranny—or being ruled by a really, really bad king(s). This is because it puts us under the strangle hold of spiritual oppression which keeps us locked up in chains, instead of free as Jesus wants us (John 8:32).

…but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

What does it look like to have understanding and knowledge? The picture of transgression is contrasted with the man (or people) of understanding and knowledge. The combination of the two can and should be understood as wisdom; which begins with the fear of the One true God (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10), and the pursuit of him alone.

Is there chaos in your life? Is there destruction, strife, or enmity? Trace the areas of struggle and strain back to the roots of idolatry, repent, and know peace.

Be aware but not afraid!