Iron Sharpens Iron: The Power of Godly Friendship

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

Have you ever seen that funny meme where it says, "Friendship is so weird, you just pick a human you've met and you're like, yup, I like this one, and you just do stuff with them."

Sometimes we think of friendship as simply having a companion to share our interests with, which is certainly an important aspect. However, God had a far greater purpose for friendship: it is one person sharpening or strengthening another. 

Walking alongside someone in this life is a unique privilege. Friendship brings the ability to laugh together, but also to share tears. Having someone by our side to comfort us in a storm and speak the hard truth when we need it most is invaluable.

One of the most remarkable examples of this type of friendship is found in the Old Testament between David and Jonathan. Their friendship illustrates how a true friend can make a tremendous difference in a person's darkest moments. In 1 Samuel 23, David is hiding in the wilderness from Saul. Jonathan, Saul's son, went to David: 

And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. "Don't be fraid," he said. My father, Saul, will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father, Saul, knows this." (1 Samuel 23:16-17)

Jonathan was a striking example of a true friend for several reasons:

1. Jonathan helped David find his strength in God. When we are in a desperate place, the greatest kindness a friend can offer is to help us discover our strength in God. Jonathan couldn't change David's circumstances, but he could remind him where his strength came from.

2. Jonathan reminded David not to be afraid. Fearing heavily tempts us in our daily lives and threatens to remove us from the place of peace we have in God. A true friend will always remind us of the anchor we have in God and will guide us out of fear and back into faith when we can't see for ourselves.

3. Jonathan reminded David of God's faithfulness to His promises. David had received a mighty promise from God that he would be the next King of Israel. Much time had passed, and I'm sure David was doubting that promise by this point. A true friend will always point us back to God's character and His promises when we are in doubt. 

We can all learn a valuable lesson from the example of Jonathon's friendship with David. True friendship reconnects us with God and keeps us grounded in the truth of who we are in Him. 

Questions for Reflection:

1. Do you have a friendship that sharpens and strengthens you? If so, thank God for that friendship; if not, pray for God to bring you one like it.

2. How can you "sharpen" or strengthen a friend today? Ask God for specific steps you can take to help a friend or loved one in their time of need.

3. Have you ever been hurt in a friendship? Ask God to help you work through and release any hurt that may be blocking new friendship opportunities.