Iron Sharpens Iron - Proverbs 27:17 (Episode 22)

Iron sharpens iron. Kelsey and I talk about the importance of having someone that walks with you through life while sharing the truth and sharpening you to become a stronger believer.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey guys, welcome to the Hurts Podcast. I'm Peyton Hurt.

SPEAKER_02 0:03

And I'm Kelsey Hurt.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

And this is episode 22. And if you guys haven't noticed, and if you guys listened to last episode, um we did get new mics. So uh we also posted a short on it uh on YouTube if you guys didn't see that. Uh just kind of a little adventure to the store.

SPEAKER_02 0:23

So yeah, yeah. So we have new mics, new sound. I hope that it sounds clearer. Um I know that in the past our mics would kind of have like a buzzing noise, so that should be gone.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

And we should be set to go.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Yes, we are super ready, super pumped. So um what we're gonna be talking about this week is the title is gonna be Iron Sharpens Iron. Um, and our main text is gonna be in Proverbs 27 verses 17. Um, but before we get into that, we kind of want to talk about our week um and what we did leading up.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

Yeah, so we played some sports, we got together, we did pickleball, um, we played basketball, we played ultimate frisbee, we got together with some people from the bridge to do that, and then we also hung out with family. And then this weekend we kind of intentionally slowed down just because we have been traveling and with school coming back up for me, um, and you working earlier, we're just trying to kind of take in the time, do some things we need to do around the house. So that was really nice.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

And it is very, very humid and hot.

SPEAKER_02 1:30

So we're in a heat advisory.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

We were we were uh really tired by the end of the week, so we're ready, we're ready to slow down.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

Yeah, we are.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

So, okay, so getting into the main text again. Um, I know in episode five, uh, if you guys listen to episode five, um, we talked about community. Uh, and this can go hand in hand with that, but um, you know, this is this is obviously a different verse, different topic. So, um, yeah, so our main text, Proverbs 27, verses 17. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. So not a whole lot to it, right? But the kind of meaning of iron sharpens iron is is meaning that people improve and strengthen each other through their relationships and interactions with each other, right? Um, a lot of people use the analogy of like forging a sword, right? Or for or forging metal in in general. So again, think of uh forging like a blade. Uh two pieces of metal rubbing together create friction and sparks, just as this process removes the dullness to create a razor-sharp edge. So the right relationships in life, whether in in friendships, faith, or business, will challenge you, push you out of your comfort zone, and ultimately make you a stronger, more capable person. So, in that, you want a person that's going to help you to grow and help you to, you know, advance the kingdom of God, but also, you know, grow in your faith.

SPEAKER_02 3:10

Yeah. I think nowadays, at least what I see like on TV shows and like what a friend is, you don't always see the part where they are truthful with you and you need to change, or where they let you where they let you know things in order for you to grow. It's more of I'm going to have this person that I hang out with, I'll use up my time. We have we have the same hobbies, maybe I know that they will drink with me, I know that they will go to the club with me. Right. Um, understanding that like friendship is more than that, especially a godly friendship. Um, you want to do things that fulfill uh glorifying the Lord, um, and you also want to encourage each other to grow.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Right, because you know, if I if I surround myself with somebody that's and I know we've talked about this before, but that's going to tell me what I want to hear, I'm not gonna grow, right? I'm gonna consistently think that, oh yeah, I'm doing the right thing, right? Yeah, you know, I might have that conviction, but if I don't have that person to to kind of hold me accountable, um, you know, I may continue to keep following in that pattern.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

So yeah, that's a good point. Uh I wanted to kind of talk a little bit more about iron because I know it's a symbolism here, but also I'm no chemist, so I had to do some research. Iron is a transition metal, which I thought was interesting. I like to look deeper into things and understanding that in friendships you change and you want to change for the better. So that transition piece, yeah. It's crucial to Earth's magnetic magnetic field. Uh, just was sh was a fun fact. Iron is relatively soft, it can rust, um, it can bend depending on the temperature. And I thought that was interesting because I think about how it can change with heat, just like friendships can change when there's hardships, um, when you're hearing the truth, even when it's hard. So using that as a symbolism, I just thought that was interesting.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Right. Uh one thing I also wanted to state because I know in friendships, when someone is falling short or you may not agree, it's it's very difficult to say something. It's hard to say something to the like to like your friends or or family to because like you see them every day, right? Like you're going to you know they're not going anywhere. So it's it's really difficult to um you know step out of faith and and be bold and be like, hey, this is where you're falling short.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

Yeah, I think it can also be that you get complacent or you get comfortable. You get comfortable doing the same things, talking the same talk, venting. Right. Um, just with friends, they're like family, really. Some are, especially close friendships, and so like you said, knowing that they won't leave, um, you can tend to just get comfortable.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Yeah. I also, I don't know, this this uh analogy just came to my mind. I think like obviously, like when you're forging a sword or whatever it may be, like you're kind of um you know getting it to a certain temperature, but I think like you can like mold two things together. So I think like if someone is being complacent and maybe they're pulling you in, so like the hope is that iron sharpens iron, but if you're following somebody that's sinning, falling short, you might mold in with them and and continue to fall short too.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

Yeah, it goes back to that bad company, corrupts good character. So two ways to look at it. You hope to be the iron that sharpens the iron, you hope to be the iron that is sharpened by other iron, but it's so easy to get comfortable. Um there's so many different avenues you can go with it.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Right. Good. So um I wanted to talk about kind of also with everything that we talked about about iron sharpens iron. Um, you know, we have a verse, let's see here. Um I think I forgot to write it down. That's okay. Uh so I I I guess I just want to talk about the disciples and Jesus' ministry. Um, because if we look at Jesus didn't do his ministry alone, right? Like he had the disciples, um, he had them follow along with him. Uh but something that I noticed that was kind of a common trend and a common theme uh if you look in the main gospels, if we look at Mark 6, verse 7, Jesus, when he sent his disciples out, most of the time he sent his disciples out in pairs of two, right? So we see that, and um, you know, there's there's got to be an importance with not going out alone, right? Like the sense of community.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:54

So again, Mark 6, verse 7, we read, calling the twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them the authority over impure spirits. So again, we see that two by two. He didn't send them out by themselves, he sent them out two by two. Another verse we look at is Luke 10, verse 1, and it says, After this, the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. So I just thought this was a cool correlation because again, it shows that we're not supposed to do life alone. Right? There's so much connection and we see so much power and in being together and having a community and having fellowship with people and the power that it brings.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

Yeah. Yeah, I like that. Um I kind of wanted to talk about our ring is going off.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

Our ring is indeed going off. Yeah, let's just keep going.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Okay. Um I wanted to talk about more personal sides. So a way that I've seen God in my life tremendously is through my friendships. Um, I've always been kind of seeking authenticity, seeking quality over quantity in friendships. And um so I would say through my years, college is really where I was able to see the fruits of good friendships. And um yeah, so I would say that I definitely learned how to be a good friend through my friends from college.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

Right.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

Because I think I've not always been a good friend. Um, I know that everybody makes mistakes, but I I see a lot of selfishness when I look back sometimes, um, whether that's just with my time, whether it's kind of like how much I gave of myself in a friendship. So I would say that my friends in college really taught me how to be a good friend, godly. They helped me to love myself and others despite imperfections. And most of all, they helped me grow through all of that.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

And so I've really appreciated just how much they really influenced me. Um, it allowed me to see that friendships don't have to be perfect. I think I had that false mindset a little like a while ago, um, maybe like high school, middle school. And I felt that, you know, it it was hard for me to forgive friends if they wronged me, whatever. But understanding that no one is perfect and they met me where I was at, and more importantly, they met me with the word of God, with prayer. Yeah, I think that's a good thing. Um they consistently showed up for me, even when I didn't want to show up for myself.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Right.

SPEAKER_02 10:47

So they've walked with me through very hard times, and they've definitely sharpened me in a way that made me stronger as a believer, but also as a person. And I'm so thankful. Yeah, as a friend, I'm so thankful that they were able to do that. So a lot of what I'll be talking about here soon is going to kind of point to the ideas or messages that they've instilled in me that they've helped me to learn.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

So cool. That's awesome. Yeah, I love hearing that. Uh so like for me in in my life, um, I would say more recently, like now, God has put uh people on my my path to um, you know, shape me. Uh, I think an example is at work, I know like my full-time job, I do uh carpentry construction, um, and I have another believer and I have a really good friend there. And there's times where I get easily discouraged and like where I get in a negative mindset. And it it's cool to have somebody that that knows scripture, that's you know, bold in their faith, and and that uh is willing to have that positive encouragement on me because um you know he'll lift me up and and build me up in that. And and I see that, and I'm uh it kind of helps me in in my mindset to remember to be positive, but also um, you know, to to do the same for him.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

So kind of bouncing off what you said, like learning to become a good friend, a good Christian friend, uh godly friend, sharpening that other person uh and what that looks like.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

And I think vulnerability, because that's kind of what I hear in both of our um stories of what we just said, vulnerability is so powerful. And once you can trust somebody um and trust that they're going to be a good friend and tell you what you need to hear, or whatever that might be, being vulnerable breaks chains, it really does. And so being able to come to somebody and tell them what you're going through and know that you're not going to face judgment, but have somebody that turns you to God is such a beautiful thing. Um, and that's why I go back to kind of what I described in the beginning of this podcast. We can get comfortable, um, we can tend to gravitate towards people where we want to belong. We're not using God for that sense of belonging.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

But we're trying to belong, and sometimes we we always sometimes we choose things that aren't good for us. And so the importance of being vulnerable with struggling, trusting somebody that you know will turn you to God um is really important.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

Yeah, I think also um helping people when they're vulnerable, uh kind of like what you said, I think that um like there's a time and place because I I I feel like there's times where like people will joke, especially uh like I've had experiences where uh you know someone's vulnerable and they either just like don't acknowledge it or they kind of make a joke off of it. I think noticing as a as a believer in a in a friend, realizing the difference on like when to be serious, right? And to to really like listen to what someone has to say is so crucial.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

I think that's really where trust can be built, at least for my friendships in the past, is like if you're vulnerable with me, I know I can be vulnerable with you, how you accept my vulnerability, um, and again, pointing me to the Lord. So yeah, just all good things to think about. But friendships are amazing.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

And backing up with scripture too, I think that's very important too. Like if you're opening up to somebody about your struggles and they can like you know, back again, back it up with scripture. I think that's very powerful and and kind of um affirming to you.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

Yeah. And I also want to talk about um our season of life that we're in. I'm not sure how old you are. If you're listening to this, maybe you're in middle school, high school, um, which I'm sure can come with its own struggles of trying to find a group, and I hope that we can encourage you in that. Or maybe you're our age, 20s, and everybody's on such a different path.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Yeah, or maybe you're retired, maybe you're almost retired.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

Yes, yes. And something that has been on my heart is how can I love people in the season they're in? Because it can be so easy to just want to have a friendship where I can relate, which is very helpful if you can relate to someone, whether that's because of your job or something you like to do, or you're a Christian, whatever. Relating is really what helps a friendship, in my opinion, in my friendships. Um, but if someone's in a different season, how can you love them in the season they're in? How can you show up as a friend? That's something that's been heavy on my heart as we continue to grow and grow friendships that some are having babies, some are single, some are, yeah, it's just it's cool to think about.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

That's so powerful too, because um, like people change over time, like people don't stay consistently, right? And so it's like, like you said, like seasons are different. So like if someone's struggling with something, or maybe, maybe, maybe they're in a season where they're thriving, right? Like where they're in a where they're out of the storm, right? Where they they kind of learned and grew through that, and maybe now you're in a season where um where you you may need help, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

So like them loving you or or you trying to love them, yeah, th through that too. You know, vice versa. In the good and bad season, you need to always be ready.

SPEAKER_02 16:13

Yes, for sure. Now I kind of want to go into the application piece. How can we be more of a godly friend? And I'm gonna use some scripture, but I learned a lot of this again from my friendships in college and even my friendships now, newer friendships, and it's helped me to be a good friend, um, and helped me to learn how to be there for other people. So, first off, to be a more godly friend, it takes sacrifice. I think of the quote, it's like it takes a village, um, or like your village is very important, but how are you going to grow a village if you're not willing to go put in the time, go to the Bible, study, go out for lunch, use your time more than just what you want to do. Maybe it's a drive where you don't want to drive that long or whatever it might be. Um, and this is also a way to show love.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Yeah, and I want to I want to challenge you, um, like right now, look at your screen time and look at how much time you've spent on your phone and try to try to implement that with meeting with somebody, right? Iron sharpens iron. Meet meet with somebody, you know, do a devotion, read the Bible. Yeah, you know, if you're spending five, six, uh however many hours that may be on your phone, those are hours that you could be spending time with other people.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

Unless you're a long distance friendship, like a good amount of my friends miss you. Phone call. Phone call. But yeah, also using that time, like you said, to dig into the word to pray. Uh, I think of how beautiful accountability partners are. Yeah. My friend and I, I've been doing pretty bad at it, but um, we've been sending check marks with when we read the Bible, and something as little as that is just so helpful. Um, and I also think it's an act of sacrifice because you're taking time out of your way to go do something you should be doing, but also having that accountability piece, and it's a sacrifice when you have to do something that's not a habit.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Right, and and it encourages that person, right? Because if you send a a check mark, maybe um you know they're like, oh shoot, like I I forgot to read, you know. Yes. Let's go.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Another way to be um more of a godly friend is to uplift, and I have a couple verses to read. First Thessalonians 5.17 says, sorry, not 5.17, 5.11 says, Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. This might be sending scripture, this might be just calling, this might be, I'm thinking of you, how are you doing, being intentional about going out to brunch, or whatever that might be. Um, Hebrews 10.24 also puts it in a good way. Let's see, where are you? And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Our words are so powerful. Um, and I think that when you're friends with someone, it's easy to be uh kind, um, but there's also moments where they're gonna probably see the worst of you. Yeah. And so just keeping these verses in mind can be helpful to encourage one another.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

And encouraging words are are very like much needed in life because um, you know, I feel like it comes very rare, honestly, right? Like God gives people, I I think the gift of uh, you know, encouraging. Like there's some people that are very, very encouraging.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

That's natural.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

And yes, and it's like like they genuinely enjoy doing it, but but um, you know, people like that, like when they when people lift me up, like it makes you feel it's kind of like it is literally a confirmation. Like, and it's such it's it can be like such simple words, like you're doing great, you know, like you, you are really doing a good job. Um, you know, and that can encourage somebody to keep going, right? If someone's really struggling, um, you know, be like, yeah, like you got it. Like, you know, just uplift them. It's so easy.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

And I think also you don't even always have to uplift with words, just your presence can be enough, especially during the hardships. I think also the way that you talk about others and present yourself um can be good or it can be misleading. Are you inviting some gossip? Are you trying to get them to be negative about something? Right. There's so many different ways to look at it.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

That's good. I like that.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Um, I also said number three, pray. So pray for each other. It's so, so powerful. I remember in college, I'd be in chapel, and um, I've definitely like have had my parents pray over me, but I've never really had a friend pray over me. And my friend Emma, I was going through a season and she's just like, Can I pray for you? And I just remember feeling so loved and so seen. And the power of prayer when two or more gather in his name, um, it's just so important. Just an encouragement.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

Yes, yes. No, prayer is definitely and like when you pray, like believe it in your heart, like whatever it is. Like, if you are, if they someone is going through a hard season, you are praying against whatever they're going through. Like, truly believe that God is going to change it. Yeah, the Holy Spirit moves, yes, yes, it does, and you can feel the difference in that.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Yes. Uh, number four, I said share truth balanced with grace. And we've kind of talked about this throughout the podcast. Um, you don't, I mean, we probably, our flesh wants to hear what we want to hear.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:25

And I used to be that way. If someone called me out, it would be so offensive. Um, even if it was balanced with grace. But I've gotten to the point in my life where if I know that my good friend is telling me something they see, I'm gonna trust them because I know their intention for me, especially if they point to the Bible. Um, so like if I find myself venting and being negative, it's so so awesome. Like it's kind of frustrating because you know, again, my flesh wants to hear what I want to hear. But it's very, I know they love me. I know someone loves me when they ask me questions that point back to. Scripture when they ask me to think about it a different way, um, and are just there for me. And I know I've had friends who have told me stuff that I don't want to hear, um, because I was set in my ways, but looking back, that's the greatest act of love. And I've I appreciated it then, um but I appreciate it even more now because I know that they have my best intention in mind. And again, pointing back to scripture is the key thing, um pointing back to what the Lord wants for us.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

Yeah, and I I think it goes back to our main text, iron sharpens iron.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

Yeah, it does. Lastly, an encouragement on how we can be more of a godly friend is consistency. Yes. Um, showing up. I mentioned sacrifice, consistency comes a sacrifice. Um, be there for one another, carry each other's burdens, which I'm referencing Galatians 6, 2. And I think that consistency just grows a stronger bond.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Um, and it also just shows that you care. And again, it might just be a phone call, it might just be being there for them or praying over them, whatever that might look like. Uh consistency is key.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Yeah, try to make time, you know, uh going back to um like the whole screen time thing, look at look at your life um and look at what's taking your time that's not fulfilling what God has for you, and fulfill that with the consistency of maybe reaching out to somebody, encouraging somebody in the faith, you know, sending them scripture.

SPEAKER_01 23:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:28

Uh, what is that consistency again in your life for for your friendships? Are you pursuing them? Um, are you avoiding friendships because you want more time for yourself? Uh again, those are just some some self-reflection self-yeah, self-reflecting questions.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Um definitely let your friendship be a ministry. I think if we view it as a ministry, we're able to impact a lot more people than we think. We're able to point it back to God, we're able to take the selfishness out of it. And I know that we all go through hardships, and that's the beautiful thing about friendships, is um it's a mutual thing. They're able to be there for you, but also you're able to be there for them. Um, and I wanted to say if you are in a season where you don't have a good godly friend or you're seeking or you're praying, please pray. I know I used to pray a lot for godly friends, and the Lord definitely answered that um desire and request. But be the friend that you wish that you have, uh be the friend that you hope to have, or be the friend that you already have.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:31

Um, and definitely God is going to give you the desires of your heart.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

And I also want to touch on like letting your friendship be a ministry. Like, when we say that, it doesn't mean like, you know, it has to be like strictly reading the Bible every time, you know, only attending church. Like, look at look at you can look at the Bible and look at examples, like just live life with that person.

SPEAKER_01 24:59

Like do life together.

SPEAKER_00 25:00

Right. Like, you know, your friend, you you invite them into your home, you have you have a meal, right? You can have fellowship, go do something fun. Uh, you know, maybe you see somebody out and about, like, uh you and you notice they're having a hard time, like bring them alongside with you to pray. Like, like, yeah, it doesn't just have to be like this structured time, like it can be literally just walking and living life with that friend.

SPEAKER_02 25:23

Yes, for sure. Um, and if you find yourself on the flip side, again, wanting to belong, which I kind of mentioned, um, if you find yourself wanting to belong, I think that's a very delicate season of your life. Um, and please be careful and mindful in what you are doing and what you are seeking in regards to friendships.

SPEAKER_01 25:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:41

Because it is a I can't think of the word. I was gonna say rabbit hole. It's a slippery slope. I think that's what people say. Like, I just stand firm in your faith and um cling to hoping and wanting a godly friendship.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

I think it goes back to like impatience, right? Like if you're seeking a godly friend or even godly relationship, whatever that may be, be patient in that because our flesh wants it now. So if you find somebody that you're like, oh, well, they're such a good friend, they're so nice, but they're, you know, going to the bar, or um, you know, maybe you're watching movies that that are inviting in um, you know, spiritual forces, opening the door, right? Uh, listening to secular music, whatever that may be, um, you know, you look at that and and and you reflect off that and be like, well, is this from God? Is this a friend from God, or is this something that I want?

SPEAKER_02 26:41

How is it leading you? Yeah. Is it glorifying the Lord? Is it leading you to um walk away from your relationship with the Lord or slowly fade away from your relationship with the Lord? Those are good things to think of.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:55

And know that you already belong. You're a child of God. Yes, you are. Um, so definitely my encouragement is to pray for friends. And something that my dad said to me, we moved schools at a young age, and that was really hard for me because I had good friends at the first elementary school, but then I had great friends also at the next elementary school. And he would say to me, Your best friend is the person you haven't met yet. And that kept me in a mindset of okay, I'm gonna make friends in each season. Some are gonna stay, some are gonna go, whatever it might be. Um, and I know that helped him when he was younger. So maybe that helps you. Um, your best friend is somebody that you haven't met yet. Our encouragement is that you are a godly friend, be a godly friend, um, and pray for friendships. Even if you have a solid group, a solid community, continue to grow that community because it's a ministry.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

Yeah. And we hope that that we can be your friends. You know, if you guys ever want to reach out, uh comment, comment, uh, DM, whatever it may be.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

I was honestly gonna say, like, comment, I don't know, because we only see the subscriber count. We can't see who subscribes. So if you're watching this, comment your name and comment like a fun fact about yourself or where yeah, I don't know. Just trying to be more engaged.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

Yes, no, for sure, for sure. And I think kind of uh wrapping this up, uh, we also wanted to share that um thank you guys for listening. You know, if you guys made it to the end, and um we also did start an Instagram, uh, it's called the Hertz Podcast. Um, so we've been posting some content on there.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

It's also a way for you to get to know us away from the podcast as well. We like to post like what we do for a living, our daily lives, like what we do before the podcast. And you can also find shorts. We kind of post the same thing on YouTube. Yeah. Um so share our podcast if you know of somebody who needs to hear this or maybe who would like our podcast.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Um, and we're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

YouTube, yes. And if you're not subscribed on YouTube, please subscribe. Subscribe. Yeah, and share it. So share it. Um thank you guys so much for listening, and we'll see you guys next week.

SPEAKER_02 29:00

Bye guys. Be a friend. Be a friend.