A New Year—It’s Time for a “Clean-Up”

Hello Hump Day readers! Here we are already 12 days into Year 2022 and guess what? The world seems not much different than in 2021. Of course, it’s only 12 days…but in these 12 days a lot has happened, unprecedented weather that has wreaked havoc in every corner of the globe. Omicron variant of COVID may be mild unless you are a child, and it is more contagious than the Delta variant! The economy has grown, salaries have gone up, but trying to replace close to a million people who are either dead from the pandemic, retired early, or cannot go back to work because childcare is so expensive that they cannot leave their children. In other words, struggles abound!

I look at all of this like a relationship—a close friend-not so close a friend—but a friend in either way that crosses my path daily. Think of these first 12 days and how many people cross your path regularly. Even though I live rurally, I was quite amazed at the interaction I have with people every day and that includes online as well.

Sadly, I also took “inventory” of folks I miss. Some on social media, others from church, etc., and sadly, some of those relationships have ended and not always the way I’d like. And yes, there were also those who went home to their eternal glory and that is a celebration indeed.

As I reminisced on all this “relational inventory” I began to think of my interactions: were they compassionate, kind, helpful? Or trite: “they didn’t send me a Christmas card so I’m crossing them off the list”—had I become as dull as some of the knives in my drawer? For me, I have a handy tool that helps me re-sharpen those knives—literally a few swipes and it’s ready to do its job again. My husband often has to sharpen many of his tools so he uses a whetstone, perhaps not as quick as my knife-tool, but it doesn’t take him long to have a tool working like new again.

This got me thinking of one of our rangers at the campground whose wife is a black-smith. Yep, in this day and age she pounds the heck out of iron, heats it up, etc., to create a tool that is sharp and ready to use, or a sculpture for their backyard. It is hard work and takes a long time. Honestly, in this day and age I have to bite my tongue and not ask why you can get this done with a handy tool instead of persistently striking metal on metal to get the right shape or sharpness!

The tools blacksmiths use—they are heavy, but the metal you are working has to be as strong as the tool you are hitting it with! And if that isn’t enough, then you put it in the heat to temper it, etc. A friend of ours is a glass blower, his tools are heavy and the hours it takes to shape molten glass, refire it, shape it again…repeat…repeat. In the end, however, that glass or that metal is beautiful, useful and ready to be used for its task or be appreciated for its beauty.

This “inventory process” brought Proverbs 27:17 to mind: “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” In the same way as the black-smith does, relationships require perseverance, resilience, and patience—for some a lot of patience! Yet, when you think back on some of your closest friends you remember that, with time, these friends became best friends that help to sharpen, strengthen, and improve you!

When it comes to cleaning-up relationships, there are no shortcuts. It’s a tough process, it takes time, it can be arduous, and sometimes no matter how hard you try, it doesn’t always work. But here again, I bring in our glass-blowing friend. He doesn’t toss that glass, instead he keeps it and will rework it, sometimes over and over, and it will become a new shape that works—that is beautiful and worthy. Isn’t that what the Holy Spirit is doing with us every day? Working in our conscience, speaking wisdom to our minds, and opening our eyes to see that not all relationships are the same, everyone has different shapes, different skills and strengths.

I look back on my life and I can only be overwhelmed by several relationships I’ve had for over 30-some years. Distance doesn’t keep us from sharing with one another, praying for one another, and yes “being iron shaping iron.” We are there for each other no matter what and because of that, even a misunderstanding can get turned around to become an even stronger and more beautiful friendship.

I grew up with the words of a Sunday School teacher that stays with me today. He said “Jesus will always be our best friend, so treat others like Jesus treats you.” That can be a tall order when relationships become difficult, yet God wants us to be in relationships so we can give and take “iron sharpening iron.” So, perhaps this 2022 you need to take time and inventory your relationships, clean up the messes, get humble with your own self and allow yourself to be sharpened; then, in turn, with love and determination, sharpen back. Together, God will transform you and that friend to be an effective instrument of God’s grace and love—to one another and to a world that needs it so badly.