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I enjoy woodworking, especially using hand tools.

The way a hand tool does its job is incredibly satisfying. To achieve this result requires a sharp blade. A hand plane’s iron will cleave through a thin ribbon of wood, leaving a finish smooth enough to shine.  

The process of honing an iron starts with coarse stones and progresses to finer grits. No matter the grit or method, the applied angle friction must remain identical. Doing it incorrectly dulls the blade even more, making it more useless than before. When this happens, it takes longer to bring the iron back into working condition.

Sometimes tools are neglected for months, years, or decades. Restoring them can take hours, but those tools are almost never without hope of restoration.

People are similar. We need others to hone us. Sometimes, that involves a progression of people who can smooth our rough edges. At other times, we may stray far from God, and the road back is long.

Hope abounds for each of us if we are willing to submit to correction and guidance with a humble spirit. Belonging to a community is essential. Mentors are a vital part of our walk with Christ.  

If honed enough, planed iron will reflect like a mirror. And when we become polished, we’ll reflect Jesus Christ. As we grow sharper in Christ, we’ll receive opportunities to mentor others—guiding them with the same care, love, and wisdom a master carpenter uses. The sharper we become—individually and as a community—the more effective we will perform the tasks God lays before us.

Let God sharpen you so you can spread the gospel of Jesus Christ by being a shining light on a hill.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)