Note: Bits of Wisdom posts are normally posts taken from my social media accounts and placed here to reference back to easily. Click on the “Bits of Wisdom” tag to read more.
Have you ever wondered why the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron? Do you know what iron sharpening iron looks like? It’s loud. It’s messy. There might be sparks that hurt. Things get hot and loud and ugly.
But what amazes me the most is that, in the case of iron, neither piece is better than the other. Unlike a sharpening tool made of steel or a hard piece of metal, iron will warp and bend and conform. When a piece of steel sharpens a piece of iron, the iron conforms but the steel remains. But when two pieces of iron begin to sharpen one another, they both change. Neither is stronger or more durable. They both bend and mold and shape and sharpen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There is no doubt that God knew this when He inspired His word to say exactly this. It’s no doubt that Solomon, the wisest king to ever live, knew a thing or two about what he was saying when he said, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The issue isn’t iron sharpening iron. The issue is that many of us walk away from these character sharpening moments without understanding the beauty of what took place. Guess what, it’s hard. When you have an argument with your friend or spouse, it’s hard. When you are offered or offer constructive criticism, it’s not pretty. When you are confronted with conviction by someone else, it can hurt. But what if we took these situations and realized that they were opportunities for growth?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You have the choice to either grow from it, or die from it. Will you embrace the beauty of friends or family that correct you, encourage you, or are willing to go into battle with you even when they know you are going to swat back at them? Are you willing to accept that maybe that person didn’t mean to hurt you, but instead shared life with you which could, in turn, sharpen you?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Ouch, that hurts. I feel it too, friend. Embrace it.
![I almost cut the audio on this one.
But I left it. Because somewhere in the middle of making pretty reels and instagram-worthy things, in the middle of daily tasks and work and homemaking, in the middle of you scrolling, trying to escape into someone else’s “real”, there is a holy thing happening right where you stand.
This is where wisdom gets passed down. Where memories are made. Where ordinary children become kingdom ambassadors.
The “in between” moments—the ones that feel like interruptions—are the most teachable moments you will ever be given.
When little voices ask the same question for the hundredth time... when little hands climb into the middle of your project and you feel inconvenienced... those are not the moments to rush past. Those are the moments they will remember forever.
So I’ll ask you what I keep asking myself: How did you make them feel today? How did you explain real life to them? Will the way you answered firm up their foundation, or shake it?
“Impress [these words] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” [Deuteronomy 6:7]
Did you catch that? At home. On the road. Lying down. Getting up. The in between. That is the classroom.
Parenting is not the thing you do once the rest of life is finally organized and perfect. It is the thing you do first. It is the most important work happening in your home.
So slow down. Take a deep breath. One day these little voices will be gone, and you will remember the moments you let pass you by.
Don’t let them pass, friend. Turn around. They’re right there.
If this landed on your heart, save it and tag a mama who needs the reminder today. 🤍](https://thefewellhomestead.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)