Iron Sharpens Iron

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 "If you hang out with chickens you're going to cluck, and if you hang out with eagles you're going to fly." ~Steve Mariboli, author

🐔 "Dentists, germs, needles, milk, death, snakes, mushrooms, heights, crowds, elevators." - this is the list, in order from greatest to least, of Adrian Monk's irrational fears.

I'm not quite that irrational, but I have a fairly healthy list of phobias - claustrophobic darkness (like the kind in an inside cruise ship room or cave), anything to do with water, germs from putting my purse down in a restaurant or bathroom, mountain lions in any setting, spiders.  I think that's enough for now. 

🐔 I just went up in a small plane with a very trustworthy pilot friend and then took a tour of caves - easily hit two on my list.  Now I don't have to do either again.  Ever.

Am I a better person for having done that?  I doubt it.  My friends talked me into it-something about living life to the fullest, facing your fears, bla bla bla. I don't feel braver, I just feel like I cheated death two more times.

🐔 We all have things we don't want to face.  But sometimes we don't have the luxury of avoiding them - health challenges, financial struggles, broken relationships, workplace woes.  Where do we go to get through these?  Who do we turn to?  Do you feel like you have a trustworthy circle to do life with?

🐔 Do we have people who will direct us with Godly wisdom, point us to the words of the Lord?  Are we someone who seeks out what God says and helps others do the same?  Especially if we don't know the right response, can we honestly discuss and search for what God wants with those who counsel us?  

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Prov 27:17

"Where there is no guidance the people fail, but in abundance of counselors there is victory." Prov 11:14 

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." 

 Prov 12:15

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.  Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand." Prov 15:22

If not, I think the Lord is clearly telling us in His Word to find those people and be those people.  Be the person that says, "Let's pray about this together, OK?"  Or "Let's see what the Bible says about this." 

🐔God promises us in James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." 

While I know I probably won't find Godly counsel on what to do when I encounter spiders, I can control whose counsel I seek for significant things I face.  And sometimes the Godly counsel may be hard to hear, but needs to be heard.

 🐔People that point to God are the eagles in our life.  Don't be chicken.

✙ Heavenly Father, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.  You are all those things to us; help us to point people to You as we seek Your wisdom.  Amen.