Iron Sharpens Iron: The Power of Real Friendship

Hey, carpool crew. Some of you might be eating breakfast at the table. Some of you might be grabbing your backpack and heading out the door, and some of you might be just hanging at home, relaxing. No matter where you are, I'm really glad you're here. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so excited you're listening to Carpooling with Jesus on Pure Flix. Our verse is from Proverbs chapter 27, verse 17. "Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another." See, back in Solomon's day, blacksmiths would rub iron tools together to sharpen them. It wasn't gentle. It was loud, hot, and full of friction. It would make sparks, it would glow red from the heat, and that's the picture he's giving us. Good friends make each other better. Not by always agreeing, but by challenging each other to rise higher, to make good decisions and to be stronger followers of Jesus. Jesus modeled this kind of friendship with his closest friends, Peter, James, John. He didn't just chill with them and play video games. He shaped them. He gave them advice. He taught them. They sharpened each other. Just think about it, a dull blade can't cut through anything. A dull friend doesn't help you grow, doesn't help you be wise or be more like Jesus. But a sharp friend, the friend that says, "Hey, that wasn't cool. You're better than that," that says, "Hey, maybe we should pray about this," or the friend who says, "Hey, don't miss church, I'll see you there." That sharpening, that's real friendship. See, you don't need friends who just say, "Yeah, whatever, it's cool." You need friends who help you become more like Jesus. See, that's what Solomon is talking about. That is wise. If Jesus saw you in a friend group that's pulling you down instead of building you up, he might say, "You were made to grow. I've got better people for you to grow with." See, Jesus doesn't want you to abandon people, but he wants your close friends to shape you the right way toward wisdom, not away from it. So picture this. Let's say you're working out with a friend for some kind of a competition at your school. You hit 10 pushups and you wanna quit. They say, "No way, you got five more in you. You can do it. Keep going," and you do keep going. You grow. That's what sharpening looks like. It's not always easy, but it makes you stronger. So how can you live this out today? First, look around, who are you becoming more like? Are they sharpening you? Are you becoming wise or are you making bad decisions? Second, be the kind of friend who calls others up, not down. Be the friend who sharpens others. And lastly, ask God to bring people in your life who help you grow in faith, in wisdom, in character, in actions, and yes, in being more like Jesus. God wants to help you grow with people who make you sharper. So remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you like today's episode, consider texting it to some parent friends so they can make it part of the regular routine too with their kids. Now, before you go, answer this question together: Who's someone in your life that sharpens you, and how can you thank or encourage them today? Thanks for joining us today on Carpooling with Jesus. Make sure you check out our other episodes and don't forget to follow us on Instagram at Carpooling with Jesus. We are so glad you're part of the Carpool Crew. Catch you next time.