Religion & Spirituality
Men love the idea of "iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another" but when the sharpening stone is pressed against their personal behavior the real battle begins. Men love competition but they do not like confrontation. No man likes to be told that the way they are believing and behaving is wrong and yet every man, the Bible says, requires loving confrontation. A buddy who is married is clearly flirting with another woman. What do you do? You notice a brother in Christ crossing the line with his drinking into drunkenness. Do you say anything? The banter among the boys goes from funny because something is truly funny to gross or inappropriate funny. Do you keep laughing? No man wants to be a nitpicker or the moral police but the Bible is clear - confrontation plays an important role in the fellowship of believing men - it seeks what is best for the one being confronted. And to be sure, it will not feel like a kindness in the moment but it is one of the most loving things we can do for each other in the company of men. It is not judging, it is helping a man so that he will not be further hurt by his own behavior. Huge difference but a step that requires huge faith and courage in God. You are strategically placed in the lives of other men to both be sharpened and to sharpen - sometimes through confrontation. And when God says, "If not you right now, then who?" What will you do?