Pastor’s Corner

What came first the stop sign or the traffic light? Hmmm, that's a good question, Right??? This question goes even deeper; Who invented the first stop sign, Where was it first used? To be honest I have never even thought on these lines. Have you? Well, lets first give our answer to who invented the stop sign. It was Willian P. Eno from New York, and imagine this, he never even drove a car, imagine that. Next time a little more about this topic

Monday 1/30

Prov. 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

Well lets start this verse by learning a bit about the best ingredients that is innate in a good whetstone. After speaking to an experienced butcher at Stater Brothers, (his father & grandfather had been in the business for their entire lives). His recommendation was a fine stone of 6,000 grit with aluminum oxide and soaked in water was his: "Go to". He had found that the sharper the knife, the safer is was. He experienced that most people being cut by a knife was due to using dull knifes that required lots of pressure. So his adage was, "Keeping your knife sharp was the best assurance to cutting the right thing". (Your ingredient not your hand) Ha!!! He agreed that moving your knife at an angle with another metal object would ultimately provide a sharp edge.

That is exactly what this verse is intending to teach. Close friends who mutually share constructive, criticism & accountability are the most effective tools to effective leadership. They encourage the necessary skills & oversight that brings an effective, defined person.

The idea revised here is that friends are the best to sharpen friends. In other words interaction with each other on a varied level of circumstances, brings the most valued benefit. If we cut an object in direct opposite angles we will dull the edge, however, if we move the edge at a myriad of varied angles then the result will be a sharper point.

In the same way the free interchange of ideas among people brings about an acurrate, acute thinking process. Sharing varied opinions gives a helpful breadth of view points to provide greater insights. In the same way that friendly inter communication hones the personality it also sharpens the wit.

So, constructive discussion, criticism, suggestions, and ideas are invaluable allies; We see this confirmed in several other Proverbs:

Benefit:

Prov. 13:20 "Walk with the wise and become wise"

Harm:

Prov. 22:24,25 "Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people"

Prov. 27:15 "A quarrelsome wife's ... will bring a dulling influence on Your life"

Genuine, productive discourse brings productive outcome, however, harsh confrontational discourse brings harm.

Billy Graham "Harsh words can't be taken back; no apology can fully repair its damage."

"Kindness never uses harsh words, but instead, brings warmth to the needy soul.."

Ben Franklin "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, progress,

achievement, and success have no meaning."

So Go With God for will bring your life into contact with those experiences & people that will sharpen you in every way and will result in you fully fulfilling your lifetime of purposes.