This is almost an exact copy of the last comment that I placed on the post ‘IRON SHARPENS IRON?’ So, you might have already read my thoughts. However, for those who have not read the comments, I am repeating what I said here.
I am old now. All my life I have enjoyed repairing, modifying, and making mechanical and electronic machines of many kinds.
I have found that the more one knows and understands about any subject the better the out come of the task. So, I have always tried to learn more about almost everything.
When I read Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. I knew it meant that a man cannot sharpen another man, because I know and understand how something is sharpened.
In my ignorance and unbelief, I thought that others should know and understand how something is sharpened, so they might also understand the verse. So, I wrote a post and when someone commented I attempted to explain what I knew, but no one could understand!
Seven is the number of completeness and I have been trying to make others understand, as I do, for seven years and not one has said, “You are correct, iron cannot sharpen iron”.
Do you see that my attempt to teach others was a sin of unbelief? The very verse that I was trying to teach stated that it was not possible for a man to teach another man! If I had been successful, even once, I would have proven myself wrong!
The Holy Spirit that lives in me had taught me the meaning of the verse and because I am a sinner, who would like to sharpen others, I tried to sharpen others! What a stupid sinner I am.
I tell myself that I believe God, but God has given me seven years to prove to me that I do not really believe Him.
I am just like the father spoken of in Mark 9:17-24 and I make the same request to God “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
If iron could sharpen itself, then I could sharpen myself, but I cannot. I need the Spirit, along with the Word of God, to sharpen me and He has just given me a seven-year course, just for my benefit, that I might believe God when He says something.
Trying to do something that Scripture says is not possible only leads to frustration for both the speaker and the one that listens. Frustration leads to anger, So, I apologize to all that I have angered for these last seven years.
I give up. That is quite a statement for me to make, as I am not one to give up, but I am only opposing God and that was not my intention.
Usually, I return any comment about what I have written. However, after seven years, I am done with any reference to iron sharpening iron.