Knives don’t have an edge unless they are sharpened. The steel that sharpens is as important as the blade that cuts. One is impossible to maintain without the other. The better the sharpener the keener the edge.

I have friends that hone my edge. They aren’t afraid to tell me the truth, even when it hurts. I need them to keep me sharp. The harder they are on me, the more effective I become. Sparks fly, from time to time, but they are necessary.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another.” Proverbs 27.17

Honest evaluation is hard to take but extremely useful. An honest friend is going to create some sparks. The trick is keeping the sparks from starting a fire and merely letting them spur us on to greater heights. I’m thankful for friends that create sparks. Without them I would become dull and ineffective.